Power utility Eskom announced that the waiver of registration-related charges for small-scale generators, such as rooftop solar, will remain in place “until further notice”. The move removes the deadline that was set to expire on 30 September 2026, after which households and small businesses would have faced a fee for registering their grid-connected systems.
Registration fees were introduced to cover the cost of a professional engineer’s sign-off and a formal registration process that could run into thousands of rands. The fees applied to eligible customer-owned generation systems of up to 50 kVA that are connected directly to Eskom’s distribution network. Those systems must still be registered for safety reasons, but the charge for doing so is now suspended.
Who benefits and who does not
The waiver applies only to qualifying customers who receive electricity directly from Eskom. Customers whose supply comes from municipal redistributors are not covered; they will need to contact their local authority to find out whether any registration charge applies.
For homeowners and small enterprises that have installed rooftop panels and are fed directly by Eskom, the indefinite waiver eliminates a cost that could have added a significant amount to the overall price of a solar project. The relief does not remove the regulatory requirement to register, it simply removes the fee attached to that requirement.
Energy expert and OUTA consultant Chris Yelland noted, “There is now no deadline to register free of charge.” His comment reflects the view of many in the solar sector that the fee was a barrier to wider adoption of customer-owned generation.
Eskom’s statement stressed that registration remains a “standard feature of modern electricity systems” because it provides information on the location, technology and capacity of generation facilities. The utility said the data is needed to support bidirectional smart metering, appropriate tariffs, credit mechanisms and future flexibility services.
The utility also distinguished between a Certificate of Compliance (CoC) and registration. A CoC confirms that a system meets electrical safety standards, while registration records the system in the network’s database. Both are required, but only the registration fee has been suspended.
South Africa continues to grapple with load-shedding and a strained electricity supply. Rooftop solar has been promoted as a way to reduce pressure on the grid and give consumers more control over their energy costs. By removing the registration charge, Eskom reduces one of the financial hurdles that has slowed the uptake of small-scale solar, especially among lower-income households.
Nevertheless, the waiver is not a permanent guarantee. Eskom said the extension is “until further notice” and that the underlying regulatory requirement to register will stay in place. If the utility later decides to reinstate the fee, customers will again face the cost of registration.
For small business owners who rely on solar to cut operating expenses, the announcement provides immediate cash-flow relief and may improve the business case for expanding solar capacity. However, they should still budget for the engineering sign-off and any future fees that could be re-imposed.
More details on the waiver and the registration process are available on Eskom’s Small-Scale Embedded Generation registration platform. The platform is the official channel for submitting the required information and obtaining a CoC.
For a broader view of how this development fits into South Africa’s energy transition, see our Energy & Infrastructure coverage.
The waiver marks the second postponement of the fee deadline. Initially the free-registration cut-off was slated for 31 March 2026, then moved to 30 September 2026 before Eskom removed the date entirely, leaving the suspension “until further notice”. This back-to-back extension follows pressure from solar owners and industry groups, and it underscores the utility’s shift from an earlier, more aggressive approach that threatened penalties for non-compliance.
Under the earlier regime, Eskom warned that any customer who failed to register a grid-connected system could face a fine of up to R30 000. The threat of such penalties was a key factor in the industry’s pushback, prompting the utility to reconsider the cost burden and ultimately suspend the registration charge while retaining the safety requirement.
Registration still demands two distinct steps. First, a professional engineer must issue a Certificate of Compliance confirming that the installation meets electrical safety standards. Second, the system’s details, location, technology and capacity, are entered into Eskom’s network database. Both elements are mandatory, but only the monetary charge attached to the database entry has been lifted, meaning owners must still secure the engineering sign-off and submit the information through the official platform.
Customers wishing to begin the process can log onto Eskom’s Small-Scale Embedded Generation registration platform, where they will find the forms and guidance needed to upload the CoC and record their system. Once submitted, the data feeds into Eskom’s planning tools, supporting bidirectional smart metering, tariff setting and future flexibility services, while ensuring the broader network remains safe and reliable.
