SSEG Registration in South Africa: Eskom and City of Cape Town

Key Takeaways

• Most grid-connected solar systems in South Africa require mandatory registration or authorisation with your electricity supplier.
• Your registration process depends on whether Eskom or your local municipality supplies your electricity.
• A valid Certificate of Compliance (CoC) and professional sign-off are essential for all grid-tied installations.
• Operating an unregistered or non-compliant system carries significant safety, legal, and financial risks.

Who must register their solar system in South Africa?

If you have installed a solar photovoltaic (PV) system, or any other form of small-scale embedded generation (SSEG), in South Africa, you are likely required to register or authorise it with your electricity supplier. This is a mandatory step to ensure the safety and stability of the national grid, especially given the prevalence of load-shedding. The specific process you must follow depends on whether you are an Eskom direct-supply customer or a customer of a local municipality like the City of Cape Town.

To determine your electricity supplier, check your monthly electricity bill. It will clearly state whether Eskom or your local municipality is billing you for electricity consumption. This distinction is crucial, as the requirements, forms, and processes differ significantly between these authorities.

Eskom SSEG Registration Process

Eskom is the national electricity utility and manages SSEG registration for its direct-supply customers.

Who must register with Eskom?

"All households and small businesses with systems below 100kVA must register with Eskom, even if they do not export electricity." If your system is above 100kW, it "requires registration approval from NERSA."

Customers who are fully off-grid and not connected to Eskom’s network are exempt from this registration, "provided they can prove full independence from Eskom’s supply." For any off-grid generator or islanded system, "Eskom requires a customer declaration for any off-grid generator / islanded system, in the form of a customer declaration letter."

Steps for Eskom Registration

Eskom outlines three main steps for registration:

1. "Submit your details Online."
2. "Upload your compliance documents."
3. "Receive Approval and Smart Meter Installation."

Required Documents for Eskom

You will need to provide specific documentation to Eskom:

• "A valid Certificate of Compliance (CoC) signed by the registered persons."
• "A NRS097-2-1 type test certificate for the inverter as provided by the equipment supplier."
• "A basic Embedded Generation Installation (EGI) test report can now be signed by the DoL registered persons."

Costs and Fees for Eskom Registration

Eskom has offered incentives for registration: "No registration or connection fees for systems up to 50kVA until 30 September 2026." Additionally, "No smart meter fees for systems up to 50kVA" are applicable during this period.

However, quotation fees apply for larger systems or after this period. For the period "01 Apr 2026 - 31 Mar 2027", the standard quotation fees are:

• "0 – 350kW (SSEG with an existing LV Eskom supply) R 1 985.79 + VAT = R 2 283.65"
• "> 350kW – 1MW (SSEG with an existing LV Eskom supply) R 3 406.25 + VAT = R 3 917.18"
• "> 0kW – 1MW (SSEG with an existing MV Eskom supply) R 3 406.25 + VAT = R 3 917.18"

The quotation fee "will be payable upfront and will form part of the connection charge. This fee is non-refundable if the quote is not accepted by the customer."

Metering and Exporting Surplus Power to Eskom

If you intend to export surplus electricity to the grid, "A bi-directional meter which is typically a smart meter for smaller installations is required. This meter measures both the electricity you use and the electricity you export."

For prepaid customers, "Prepaid metering is being prepared to ensure tariffs, billing and vending work correctly. Prepaid customers who want to export may need to move temporarily to a supported post-paid option."

Eskom does not pay cash for exported energy. Instead, "If you are legally connected and on the correct tariff, credits appear on your monthly Eskom bill based on the time-of-use period in which you exported. These credits reduce the energy portion of your bill." Eskom explicitly states, "Eskom does not make cash payments for exported energy but provide a credit on the bill."

Required Agreements and Tariffs

To connect legally, you need "an active Electricity Supply Agreement, the required Supplementary Agreements for SSEG, and any tariff amendments are needed for export credit or banking." All grid-tied SSEG installations "must be linked to an active Eskom customer account." Customers with solar-rooftop PV "are required to be on a Homeflex tariff."

City of Cape Town SSEG Authorisation Process

The City of Cape Town (CoCT) has its own specific process for SSEG authorisation within its supply area. This process is distinct from Eskom's and does not apply to other municipalities like Johannesburg or Tshwane. Always check with your local municipality for their specific requirements.

Who must register with the City of Cape Town?

"All SSEG systems in the City of Cape Town supply area, including battery only systems, need to be registered and authorised." This applies to "small-scale embedded generation (SSEG) systems with a generation capacity smaller than 1 mega-volt ampere (MVA) and embedded generation (EG) systems with a generation capacity of more than 1MVA and less than 100MVA." If your system is larger than 100MVA, "proof of registration from the National Energy Regulator (NERSA) is required before we can consider authorisation."

Certain systems do not require authorisation: "Solar water heaters that use the sun’s thermal energy to heat water directly" and "Plug-in portable (trolley) inverters that are powered and protected by a plug circuit as an appliance to supply small loads... these are not wired to the distribution board and may not use fixed mounting solar PV panels." However, "Solar PV geysers must be authorised, and follow the online SSEG application process, but do not require ECSA professional sign-off."

Authorised System Types and Application Method

"Since 1 October 2023, all new solar PV and/or battery systems are being treated as grid-tied and must use City-approved inverters, have professional sign-off, and be authorised before switching on." The City "is no longer accepting applications for standby and off-grid systems due to the risks they pose."

All applications "must be done online via the Energy Services platform on e-Services." This online method aims to "reduce turnaround times for faster authorisations; increase transparency on an application’s progress and status; automate the issuing of Permission to Install (PTI) letters for certain application types."

Costs and Inverter Requirements for CoCT

The registration and authorisation process itself "is free." However, you must "Ensure that you are using an inverter approved by the City. Systems using non-approved inverters will not be authorised." The list of approved inverters "can be found at www.capetown.gov.za/SolarPV under ’Document Downloads’."

Metering and Selling Surplus Power to CoCT

For feed-in systems, "you will need to install an Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) meter at your own cost." If you do not intend to feed into the grid, "you will need to enable reverse power flow blocking. A prepayment meter is required and will be installed by us at our cost."

The City of Cape Town offers a "Cash for Power Program" for surplus energy:

• "Residential customers: one payout a year, once the amount exceeds R1000."
• "Commercial customers: one payout a month, once the amount exceeds R5000."

The feed-in tariff rates are:

• Residential: "Electricity fed into the grid will be measured and credited to customer’s monthly municipal account at 92.13c/kWh + 25c/kWh incentive."
• Commercial: "Electricity fed into the grid will be measured and credited to customer’s monthly municipal account at 82.06c/kWh + 25c/kWh incentive."

What you can check yourself, and what you cannot

While you can manage the administrative aspects of SSEG registration yourself, the actual installation and verification of your solar system require qualified professionals. You should never attempt electrical work on your grid-tied system, incoming AC tails, or battery connections yourself.

All electrical installations, including SSEG systems, "must be supported by a valid Certificate of Compliance (CoC), regardless of the project type." This CoC "must be issued by a Registered Person (Installation Electrician or Master Installation Electrician only) as defined in the EIR." The property owner "is responsible for the safety of the electrical installation on their property in terms of the OHS Act."

For the City of Cape Town, "From 1 October 2023, all new applications for SSEG systems in the City of Cape Town supply area are treated as grid-tied, and are required to be signed off by an Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA) registered professional." Residential installations "may be certified as above or by ECSA-registered professional technician," while commercial and industrial installations "must be certified by an ECSA-registered professional engineer, certified engineer or technologist."

For Eskom, the "Person signing off the EGI compliance report for Single and Three phase installations ≤1kV a.c. and ≤ 1.5kV d.c. must be a department of labour registered Installation Electrician or Master Electrician." For larger systems, "SSEG systems >1kV but ≤ 22kV a.c. and ≤ 1.5kV d.c., the system design requires additional sign-off by an ECSA-registered professional."

The CoC must cover all aspects of the installation, including "AC and DC wiring and relevant AC and DC single line diagrams, Inverter installation and configuration, Earthing and bonding, Protection settings (e.g., anti-islanding), Compliance with manufacturer requirements of all installed equipment, Reference the inverter NRS097-2-1 compliance certificate."

Risks of Unregistered or Non-Compliant Systems

Operating an SSEG system without proper registration and authorisation carries significant risks, both for your property and for the wider electricity network.

Safety Risks

Unregistered systems pose serious safety hazards. Eskom warns that "They can back-feed electricity into lines during faults. They may endanger electrical workers doing maintenance. They can damage household appliances and Eskom equipment." Similarly, the City of Cape Town states, "Non-compliant SSEG systems could electrocute City personnel if electricity feeds into a grid that is believed to be off. Poorly installed systems can also cause household fires."

Grid Stability

Unregistered systems can negatively impact the quality and stability of the electricity supply for your community. Eskom notes, "They may disturb voltage and reduce power quality for your neighbourhood." The City of Cape Town adds that "the quality of electricity is compromised if SSEG infrastructure does not meet strict power quality requirements."

Legal and Financial Consequences

There are clear legal and financial repercussions for non-compliance. Eskom states, "Unauthorised grid-tie connections may be disconnected. Tamper fees may apply where meters are reversed or bypassed."

The City of Cape Town is equally strict: "Properties with unregistered SSEG will be issued a contravention notice, be liable for a service fee and instructed to: Disconnect the SSEG within five working days; Provide a Certificate of Compliance (CoC) as proof Register the SSEG within one month and conclude the authorisation process within three months." Furthermore, "insurers may not cover damages if the installation is not authorised."

What the published sources do not tell you

This guide focuses on Eskom direct-supply customers and City of Cape Town municipal customers, as these are the authorities covered by the available documentation. It is important to note that other major metropolitan municipalities in South Africa, such as Johannesburg (City Power), Tshwane (Tshwane Electricity), eThekwini (eThekwini Electricity), and Nelson Mandela Bay, each have their own specific SSEG registration and authorisation processes. These are not detailed in the sources we checked, and you must consult your local municipality for their requirements.

While specific quotation fees for Eskom are provided for "01 Apr 2026 - 31 Mar 2027", the exact "tamper fees" for unregistered systems are not quantified. Similarly, the City of Cape Town's "service fee" for unauthorised systems and the "additional costs for the metering accommodation" for feed-in systems are not specified in rand values. The precise timelines for each step of the online application process for the City of Cape Town are also not detailed beyond general statements about "reduced turnaround times." The duration of the "25c/kWh incentive" for feed-in tariffs in Cape Town is stated as "until 2025," but the exact end date within 2025 is not specified.