R20,000 relief coming for homeowners with rooftop solar in South Africa
South Africans who have already invested in rooftop solar or are planning to make the switch and haven’t registered with Eskom yet could soon see a major reduction in one of the biggest registration costs.
At present, Eskom requires that solar installations be signed off by a professional engineer, which can cost homeowners around R20,000. However, this requirement is likely to change.
Eskom has said the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) is finalising regulations that could allow electricians to sign off on solar installations for registration purposes, instead of much more expensive professional engineers.
For homeowners, this means that the steep engineering fee could soon be replaced with a much cheaper Certificate of Compliance (CoC) from an electrician, which typically costs around R1,500.
Eskom noted that under current SABS rules, electricians’ CoCs do not cover the “full solar PV installation”, which is why a professional engineer’s approval has been necessary.
The new low-voltage regulations being finalised aim to close this gap, giving electricians the authority to provide the required compliance certification.
This change will come as a welcome relief to South Africans, particularly as more households and businesses are installing solar to protect themselves from load shedding and rising electricity tariffs.
The utility has been on a strong drive to increase the registration of grid-tied small-scale embedded generation (SSEG) systems, which are typically residential solar installations.
Eskom repeatedly stressed that registration is not just a bureaucratic exercise but a legal requirement under the Electricity Regulation Act for all systems under 100 kVA.
It argues that registration ensures safety, helping to prevent backfeeding into the grid, which can put lives at risk and damage equipment.
The update from Eskom comes after the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) strongly criticised the signing-off process.
OUTA argued that any Eskom‑mandated sign-off on residential solar systems is unnecessary, overly restrictive, and disproportionately burdens households trying to reduce their dependence on Eskom.
Hold off from registering systems — for now
In August 2025, OUTA met with Eskom’s Distribution division to raise these concerns, describing the current requirements as irrational, unfair, anti-poor, and discriminatory.
It has since urged South Africans not to rush into registering their solar installations until there is greater clarity and fairness in the process.
According to OUTA, once the amendments to the SABS Code of Practice for Low-Voltage Electrical Installations are in place, existing laws will adequately cover the technical, safety, and compliance needs for residential solar systems.
These include the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the Electrical Installation Regulations, and the SANS 10142-1 standard, all of which regulate the safe installation and use of electrical systems.
Under this framework, OUTA argued that a valid CoC issued by a registered electrical contractor should be enough.
The group has also questioned whether Eskom has the authority to impose any requirements on small, behind-the-meter systems under 100 kW at all. It suggested that the utility may be exceeding its regulatory powers.
OUTA added that it has committed to continuing discussions with Eskom and the Department of Employment and Labour, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA), and the SABS working group responsible for drafting the relevant standards.
Until it is satisfied that the current requirements are necessary and lawful, OUTA advises households and businesses to refrain from registering with Eskom or municipalities.
Eskom, meanwhile, has acknowledged OUTA’s concerns and agreed to consider the issues raised. Its representatives indicated that they would respond to the organisation’s submissions in due course.
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