Brief
Eskom extends waiver on rooftop solar registration fees
The utility removed the 30 September deadline but says registration under the Electricity Regulation Act remains required.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Eskom announced on Wednesday that its waiver of registration‑related charges for customer‑owned rooftop solar systems of up to 50 kVA will continue beyond the 30 September 2026 deadline. The extension applies to both registration fees and the cost of a bidirectional smart meter, which the utility has not charged since March 2023.
What happened
The waiver, first introduced in March 2023, covered all registration and connection fees, including a free smart meter valued at up to R10 000 for urban households and R36 000 for rural ones. Eskom kept the exemption when it simplified its small‑scale embedded generation (SSEG) compliance rules on 1 October 2025, and again extended it from 31 March to 30 September 2026. The latest statement confirms the waiver will remain in place indefinitely, but the utility stresses that registration itself is still compulsory.
What the reports add
TechCentral notes that Eskom’s extension does not alter the regulatory requirement for qualifying grid‑connected generation facilities to be registered, a rule set out in the Electricity Regulation Act of 2006. Registration is required for systems of 100 kW or less with a grid connection, while larger installations must register with the national regulator Nersa. Systems without any grid connection are exempt.
What was said
Wayne Duvenage, chief executive of the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), welcomed the move, saying, “This is good progress, and we appreciate that Eskom has listened to the concerns raised by Outa and the public,” as reported by TechCentral.
How it came about
Outa has challenged Eskom’s compliance requirements since at least August 2025, arguing that homeowners who invest in solar to reduce reliance on an increasingly expensive and unreliable grid should not face additional fees. Eskom responded that registration provides distributors with essential data for network planning, voltage management, equipment protection, fault analysis and worker safety. The utility cited Nersa’s definition of registration, which focuses on the point of connection and installed capacity rather than the amount of electricity exported or consumed on site.
Key facts
- Eskom extended its waiver of registration and smart‑meter fees for rooftop solar systems up to 50 kVA beyond 30 September 2026. (techcentral.co.za)
- The waiver covers all registration and connection fees, including a free smart meter worth up to R10 000 for urban customers. (techcentral.co.za)
- Eskom says registration remains mandatory under the Electricity Regulation Act of 2006. (techcentral.co.za)
- Systems of 100 kW or less must register with Eskom or the relevant municipality; larger systems register with Nersa. (techcentral.co.za)
- Outa CEO Wayne Duvenage praised the extension, calling it good progress. (techcentral.co.za)
Sources
- [1] techcentral.co.za — originally reported as “Eskom waives rooftop solar fees, but the registration fight isn't over”
