Minister Dion George welcomes Eskom’s ongoing solar panel registration fee waiver, warns against disincentivising renewables

The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, welcomes Eskom’s ongoing commitment, reaffirmed today, to waive registration fees and provide free smart meters for residential Small-Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG) systems up to 50 kVA until March 2026. In place since March 2023, this policy continues to encourage South African households to adopt solar photovoltaic (PV) systems – typically sized at 16 kVA for most residential installations – supporting the urgent transition to a cleaner, more sustainable energy future.

It aligns with Dr George’s decision, announced yesterday, to impose stringent conditions on Eskom’s coal-fired power stations under the Minimum Emission Standards exemptions, signaling a broader push for environmental accountability and energy transformation.

However, in view of recent comments about their posture to charge a registration fee, the Minister encourages Eskom to extend this waiver indefinitely and take bolder steps to accelerate South Africa’s shift from coal. While the current exemption, covering registration fees, smart meter costs, and connection charges until March 2026, is a positive measure – saving households with typical 16 kVA systems up to R9,132 – it remains a temporary fix. We urge Eskom to make these benefits permanent for residential customers. The looming reinstatement of fees after March 2026 risks creating a financial barrier that could deter investment in solar PV and other renewable solutions, slowing progress when rapid, widespread adoption is essential to meet our commitments under the Paris Agreement and the Climate Change Act. Today, Eskom’s approved 12.74% tariff increase for direct customers also kicks in, further raising electricity costs and underscoring the need for accessible renewable alternatives.

If Eskom is serious about reducing emissions and advancing the just transition to a low-carbon economy, it must eliminate obstacles for households eager to embrace renewables. Permanently waiving registration and associated costs for residential systems up to 50 kVA would unequivocally demonstrate Eskom’s commitment to empowering South Africans to reduce reliance on coal-fired power and support the Minister’s call yesterday for faster renewable energy integration into the grid. We warn Eskom against disincentivizing renewable energy uptake through short-term policies that may undermine public enthusiasm for sustainable solutions at a pivotal moment for climate action, especially as tariffs rise.

“We stand ready to collaborate with Eskom, and the private sector to deliver practical, long-term solutions that hasten this energy transition. A sustainable future is within reach, but it demands bold, consistent action—starting with the permanent removal of financial disincentives that hinder residential renewable energy adoption,” said Dr George.

For media enquiries please contact: 
Thobile Zulu-Molobi
Cell: +27 82 513 7154
E-mail: tmolobi@dffe.gov.za

Michael Mokoena
Cell: +27 82 906 5795
E-mail:mmokoena@dffe.gov.za

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