Unregistered Solar Rooftops in Capetown to Face Penalty

The city administration has taken this decision after witnessing a huge spike in solar rooftops installed in Cape Town posing a safety and a legal risk.

Residents of Cape Two who are using rooftop solar installations will have to pay a hefty fine if they fail to get their solar installation registered by February next year.

The city administration has taken this decision after witnessing a huge spike in solar rooftops installed in Cape Town posing a safety and a legal risk if installed incorrectly. This is why the city administration has decided to enforce penalties on small-scale embedded generation (SSEG) systems which are not registered with the administration.

SSEG systems not registered till the due date will be liable for the termination of the connection and a hefty fee. In order to align every generation system with the set standards, the authorization must with the city’s electricity department.

Incorrectly installed SSEG systems which are connected to the grid pose a fire threat along with interfering with the quality of the electricity being supplied, demand management and the future network planning of the grid and system.

Keeping in mind the fact that many residents may have not been aware of the authorization rule, the administration has given a grace period of three months

“The City embraces the uptake of alternative energy as this contributes to creating a cleaner and greener city, and is grateful that so many of our residents are willing to invest in this technology. We are however required to ensure that electricity supply systems comply with relevant standards and do not pose a safety risk. We would like to thank our customers for their cooperation during the registration process,” said Mayoral Committee Member for Informal Settlements, Water and Waste Services; and Energy, Councillor Xanthea Limberg.