Have rooftop solar panels? Eskom wants you to do this before the September deadline - IOL

This is what homeowners who have rooftop solar panels need to know.

South Africans with rooftop solar systems have less than three weeks to take advantage of Eskom's current waiver on registration and connection-related charges.

This comes as Eskom has extended the fee waiver for eligible Small-Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG) systems until September 30 2026, giving homeowners more time to register their rooftop solar systems and ensure they are legally and safely connected to the electricity network.

The waiver applies to Eskom customers with solar systems of up to 50kVA/kW.

The power utility said the concession includes registration and connection-related charges, as well as metering, for eligible customers.

The most important requirement is to register a grid-connected rooftop solar system with Eskom, even if the household does not send excess electricity back into the grid.

Eskom says all SSEG systems below 100kVA that are connected to the electricity network must be registered with the relevant electricity supplier, which is Eskom or the local municipality.

This means having solar panels installed does not remove a homeowner's responsibility to ensure the system is properly registered if the property remains connected to the electricity network.

Eskom says registration is important for the safe integration of customer-owned generation into the electricity network.

According to Eskom, a grid-connected solar system can potentially feed electricity back into power lines, which can endanger workers, damage equipment and affect voltage and power quality if the system has not been properly connected.

Registration therefore allows Eskom to know which generation systems are connected to its network and helps ensure that they are connected in accordance with the relevant requirements.

The EGI test report can now be signed by a person registered with the Department of Employment and Labour, such as an Installation Electrician or Master Installation Electrician, subject to Eskom's requirements.

Eskom previously said the simplified process was introduced after customers raised concerns about the cost and complexity of compliance.

Homeowners often assume that they only need to register if their solar system sends electricity back into the grid.

Eskom has reiterated that this is not the case.

Its current guidance states that households and small businesses with systems below 100kVA must register even if they do not export electricity to the grid.

The important distinction is whether the system is connected to the electricity network.

However, there is an exception for properties that are genuinely independent of Eskom's network.

Eskom says customers who are fully off-grid and not connected to Eskom's network do not have to register. However, they must declare the system and provide proof that it operates independently of Eskom's supply.

The 30 September date is particularly important because Eskom's current waiver on registration and connection-related charges runs until then.

Eskom announced in March that it had extended the waiver from 31 March to 30 September 2026. For eligible Eskom customer solar systems of up to 50kVA, Eskom said registration and connection fees, including a smart meter within specified limits, would be waived during this period.

Eskom's current standard-fee documentation also confirms that the concession for SSEG installations up to 50kVA runs from 1 April 2026 to 30 September 2026 and covers the connection fee, quotation fee and metering.

That means homeowners with eligible systems have a financial incentive to complete the registration process while the waiver is still available.

Homeowners with grid-connected rooftop solar should check whether their system has been registered with the relevant electricity supplier.

For Eskom customers, the company provides an online registration process and has urged customers to make use of the fee waiver while it remains available.

Customers supplied by a municipality should check the requirements with their local electricity provider, as the registration process is handled by the relevant supplier.

It is worth noting that 30 September is the current deadline for the Eskom fee waiver, rather than a deadline to stop using rooftop solar.