Eskom SSEG Grid Connection and Standard Agreement Guide

Key Takeaways

• All households and small businesses with systems below 100kVA must register with Eskom, even if they do not export electricity.
• Under Eskom's incentive campaign, there are no registration or connection fees for systems up to 50kVA until 30 September 2026, and no smart meter fees for systems up to 50kVA.
• Systems up to 100kVA require Eskom registration only, whereas larger installations require dual Eskom and NERSA registration above 100kVA to 1 MW.
• Safety standards mandate anti-islanding protection and a dedicated point of isolation in accordance with SANS 10142-1 to prevent backfeeding a de-energised network.
• Maximum export capacity (MEC) is restricted to 75% for dedicated supplies and 25% for shared network connections.

Mandatory Eskom SSEG Registration Framework

Property owners receiving electricity directly from Eskom Distribution operate under national grid connection rules distinct from municipal distributors. The utility enforces universal registration: all households and small businesses with systems below 100kVA must register with Eskom, even if they do not export electricity.

The regulatory pathway establishes two clear capacity categories:

• Eskom Registration Only: Systems follow Eskom Registration only up until a 100kVA, handled entirely through Eskom regional distribution offices.
• Dual NERSA Registration: Facilities requiring higher output necessitate Eskom and NERSA registration -above 100kVA to 1 MW, complying with national licensing exemption notices.

Property owners who maintain completely isolated power systems are exempt from registration: customers who are fully off-grid and not connected to Eskom’s network do not have to register, just declare and provide proof of full independence from Eskom’s supply.

Financial Relief and Incentive Schemes

To accelerate renewable energy adoption and regularise unregistered solar installations, Eskom introduced temporary fee exemptions for smaller systems:

• Connection and Registration Fees: No registration or connection fees for systems up to 50kVA until 30 September 2026.
• Metering Hardware: No smart meter fees for systems up to 50kVA, eliminating upfront equipment costs for domestic and small commercial consumers.

Technical Application and Safety Standards

Formal application must be made using the designated utility document titled APPLICATION FOR THE CONNECTION OF A SMALL-SCALE EMBEDDED GENERATOR (SSEG) TO THE ESKOM NETWORK.

Before grid tie-in can be commissioned, the installation must satisfy rigorous technical criteria:

• Electrical Safety Certification: The applicant must submit a valid Certificate of Compliance (CoC) signed by the registered persons.
• Inverter Grid Interconnection: Inverters must hold a NRS097-2-1 type test certificate for the inverter as provided by the equipment supplier.
• Anti-Islanding Protection: Installers must ensure that the SSEG installation includes anti-islanding and protection functions required by SANS 10142-1 to prevent energising a dead network.
• Point of Control and Isolation: The wiring design must provide a main switch (point of control) and a dedicated point of isolation for the embedded generator inside the customer installation in accordance with SANS 10142-1.
• Zero-Export Limiting: For customers who do not enter into an export agreement, reverse power flow limiting is part of the design and commissioned in accordance with utility export agreement.

Export Capacity Limits (MEC)

Grid stability rules restrict how much active power an embedded generator can push back through local transformers. Under Eskom rules, Maximum Export Capacity (MEC) is calculated measuring minimal or no-load consumption limited to 75% for a dedicated supply and 25% for shared networks. Shared LV feeders carry lower thresholds to prevent voltage rises that could disrupt neighbouring consumers.