Eskom To Allow Prepaid Solar Users To Retain Tariffs While Waiving Registration Fees For Small Scale Systems

Eskom allows prepaid solar users to keep their billing setup. Learn about the SSEG registration fee waiver and free smart meters for South African solar owners.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 4, 2026, 6:19 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from MyBroadband

Policy Shift For Distributed Generation Users

Eskom is preparing to roll out a new system that allows residential electricity customers with rooftop solar to remain on prepaid billing plans. Historically, users who installed small scale embedded generation (SSEG) systems were often forced to migrate to postpaid tariffs, a move that frequently resulted in higher fixed costs and unpredictable monthly billing. According to the power utility, the new initiative is currently undergoing final implementation tests, with an immediate nationwide rollout planned once the initial technical requirements are confirmed. This change addresses a significant pain point for South African households who prefer the budgeting control provided by prepaid meters.

Fee Waivers And Infrastructure Support

As part of the new framework, prepaid customers who register their solar installations on Eskom’s SSEG database will be exempt from the standard registration fees. This exemption applies to systems with a capacity of up to 50kW, which covers the vast majority of residential rooftop setups. Furthermore, Eskom has committed to providing and installing smart meters at no cost to the consumer where the existing infrastructure is found to be incompatible with solar integration. This move is designed to lower the barrier to legal registration and ensure that the utility has an accurate record of distributed energy resources on its grid.

Managing The Transition To Time Of Use Models

A central component of Eskom’s broader residential strategy is the Homeflex tariff, a time of use (ToU) model that categorizes energy charges into off peak, standard, and peak periods. While postpaid solar users are currently required to adopt this structure, it remains unclear how ToU mechanisms will be integrated into the new prepaid solar framework. The ToU approach is intended to encourage battery charging during low demand periods while discouraging grid reliance during peak hours. Advocates from the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse have argued that consumers should retain the right to choose between flat rates and variable tariffs based on their specific consumption patterns.