KEY POINTS
- Eskom has cut red tape for residential solar- and SSEG-system registration by allowing electricians (rather than ECSA engineers) to sign off installations and waiving registration/connection fees for systems up to 50 kVA until March 2026.
- The revised framework, finalised with industry stakeholders and effective from 1 October 2025, aligns with NERSA requirements and seeks to ease consumer entry into clean energy while maintaining grid safety and stability.
- Registered SSEG systems now position households to benefit from future export tariffs, flexible pricing and grid-support programmes, enhancing the business case for rooftop solar and other embedded generation.
The South African state-owned utility Eskom has announced a streamlined process for homeowners and small businesses to register their small-scale embedded generation (SSEG) systems, such as rooftop solar panels, under its national framework.
The move is aimed at reducing administrative barriers, lowering costs and accelerating the clean-energy transition while safeguarding the national grid.
From 1 October 2025, Eskom’s revised SSEG compliance and registration procedures allow residential customers to have their systems signed off by a Department of Labour-registered electrician (excluding single-phase testers) rather than requiring certification by a professional registered with the Engineering Council of South Africa (ECSA).
At the same time, the utility has extended a fee waiver for households installing systems up to 50 kVA: no application, connection or smart-meter costs will be charged until March 2026.
Eskom said the revision of its SSEG framework, which has been under development since 2015, was done in collaboration with industry groups including South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA), the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), and municipal electricity distributors, and is designed to balance ease of connection with grid safety, affordability and legal compliance.
Unlocking Household Solar: what’s changed
Eskom’s new rules lower the hurdle for residential clean-energy generation by cutting the technical and cost burden.
Under the previous regime, homeowners were required to have their installations certified by an ECSA-registered professional, a process that added time and cost.
With the new arrangement, a qualified electrician will suffice, helping the utility estimate savings of over R9 000 for a typical 16 kVA rooftop system.
At the same time, the waiver of registration and smart-meter fees until March 2026 removes a key financial barrier to entry.
Current regulatory requirements from the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) stipulate that any grid-tied generator under 100 kVA must be registered, even if it does not export energy back into the grid.
Eskom noted that unregistered installations risk being disconnected because they may pose safety and compliance issues and do not align with its network-planning obligations
