The South African Photovoltaic Industry Association has welcomed the utility’s decision to extend its registration fee waiver for solar systems until the end of September, as it calls for the country’s municipal distributors to streamline their own processes for small-scale embedded generation systems.
Cape Town, South Africa
Image: Patrick Ward/Unsplash
South African utility Eskom has extended the current registration fee waiver for small-scale embedded generation (SSEG) systems until September 30.
Eskom originally planned to waive the registration fee for SSEGs up to 50 kW until the end of March in an attempt to boost the number of registered installations. The utility requires that all SSEG installations operating alongside its supply, including those not exporting power to the grid, are registered with Eskom or the National Energy Regulator of South Africa. 
It announced a simplification of the registration process last October, with customers currently required to only submit a certificate of compliance, inverter test certificate and test report for the installation.
In the company’s latest update, Eskom says registration is not intended to discourage people from installing solar, but to support responsible, safe and compliant connection of customer‑owned generation.
Eskom has also announced plans to introduce a prepaid option for residential customers who wish to install rooftop solar while remaining on prepaid metering. It says the option is currently being tested, with intent to proceed to broader rollout once initial implementation requirements are confirmed.
In a statement to pv magazine, the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) says it welcomes the fee waiver extension, advising that is not merely a bureaucratic requirement but a critical safety and technical necessity ensuring grid stability and worker safety.
“By extending the waiver and introducing a prepaid-friendly path, [Eskom is] removing the compliance tax that has previously deterred many households from registering their systems,” commented SAPVIA Technical and Policy Manager, Sim Khuluse. “However, this is only half of the puzzle. While Eskom is making strides, the inconsistent, often delayed and cumbersome approval processes at a municipal level continue to act as a drag on our national energy transition.”
SAPVIA’s statement explains that South Africans living in municipal supply areas face registration fees and months of administrative delays and is calling on municipal distributors to streamline their own SSEG processes.
Khuluse said South Africa needs a unified, digital-first approach across all provinces. “Inconsistent municipal by-laws create a cumulative backlog that intensifies pressure on the national grid’s technical interface and frustrates the very citizens who are investing their own capital to ensure energy security,” he told pv magazine. 
Last month, Eskom announced plans to issue notices against selected South African municipalities over outstanding municipal debts.
South Africa‘s cumulative solar capacity now stands in excess of 10 GW, after deploying 1.6 GW last year. The country’s largest solar project currently under development recently reached financial close.
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