Every grid-connected solar PV system under 100 kVA must be registered with the network that supplies the property, Eskom or the municipality, as small-scale embedded generation (SSEG), and the installation needs an electrical Certificate of Compliance under SANS 10142-1. Two things every installer should know in 2026: Eskom's fee waiver for residential systems up to 50kVA has been extended to 30 September 2026, and who may sign off your solar now depends on who supplies the power, because Eskom and Cape Town run different sign-off rules.
The regulatory picture
- Electricity Regulation Act 4 of 2006: Schedule 2 requires systems under 100 kVA to register with the network service provider. NERSA registration only kicks in above 100 kW; residential and small commercial systems register with the distributor only.
- OHS Act / Electrical Installation Regulations: a CoC under SANS 10142-1 is mandatory for all the electrical wiring, solar included.
- NRS 097-2-1: the national inverter standard. The inverter must hold an NRS 097 type test certificate to get approval.
- Municipal by-laws: each metro has its own SSEG process and tariff structure.
Fully off-grid systems with no connection to any distributor do not need to register with Eskom or NERSA.
The registration process
- Pre-approval: contact the municipality, or Eskom if the property is on the Eskom grid, before installing, and get their current SSEG requirements.
- Application: submit the SSEG application with the roof layout or building plan, a structural assessment for roof-mounted systems, the system specifications (inverter, array size, batteries) and the NRS 097-2-1 inverter type test certificate.
- Install and commission: to SANS 10142-1 for the wiring and NRS 097-2-3 for the SSEG-specific installation requirements.
- CoC and sign-off: obtain the Certificate of Compliance, then the SSEG sign-off required by the network (see below).
- Agreement: submit the commissioning report and sign the supply or SSEG agreement with the distributor.
Who signs off depends on who supplies the power
This is the nuance that catches installers working across networks:
- Eskom-supplied properties: since 1 October 2025, a DEL-registered person (excluding single-phase testers) may sign off residential SSEG systems. An ECSA-registered professional engineer is no longer required on Eskom networks for these systems.
- City of Cape Town: the City still requires ECSA-registered sign-off, a Pr Tech Eng for residential systems and a Pr Eng for commercial.
Other municipalities set their own requirements, so confirm before quoting: a price built on the Eskom rule can be badly wrong one suburb over. Check Eskom's current terms at connect.eskom.co.za and the per-distributor requirements summarised on the PV GreenCard site.
The Eskom fee waiver: extended to 30 September 2026
Eskom has waived registration and connection fees for residential systems up to 50kVA, including a free smart meter, worth up to R10,000 for urban customers and up to R36,000 for rural customers. The waiver has been extended to 30 September 2026. If you have Eskom-supplied clients with unregistered systems, this is the window to get them compliant at no fee: after the deadline, the same registration carries real costs. Verify the current terms on Eskom's SSEG portal before promising a client anything.
PV GreenCard
The PV GreenCard is a voluntary installer certification indicating competence in PV installation. It is not a legal requirement, but it speeds up municipal approvals and is increasingly demanded by clients and insurers. Worth holding if solar is a serious line of work for you.
Tariffs: metro differences
What the client earns for exported energy varies widely. Some metros offer net-metering credit at retail rates, others a lower avoided-cost feed-in tariff, and some cap total registered SSEG capacity and close the register periodically. These rules change frequently: confirm the current tariff and agreement with the specific municipality before selling a system on its export economics.
Worked example: 10 kW residential, Eskom-supplied
An installer proposes a 10 kW grid-tied system for a homeowner on the Eskom network. The path: confirm Eskom SSEG registration is open, submit the online application with the NRS 097 inverter certificate and site plan, install to SANS 10142-1, obtain the CoC, have a DEL-registered person sign off the system, submit the commissioning report and sign the supply agreement. Registration during the waiver window means no registration or connection fees and a free smart meter. Timeline: typically 4 to 12 weeks depending on the application backlog.
Common mistakes
- Installing first, registering second. Pre-approval comes first; some municipalities cap or close their registers.
- A non-NRS 097 inverter. No type test certificate, no approval, however good the spec sheet.
- Applying Eskom's sign-off rule in Cape Town. The City still requires ECSA professionals.
- Missing the waiver window. Free registration for qualifying residential systems ends 30 September 2026.
- Selling export income on last year's tariff. Metro SSEG tariffs move; quote from the current schedule.
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