eThekwini domestic solar registrations

[Isetech]

I have a solar system installed on my house, do I have to register the system with eThekwini?

Who is responsible for registering my system?

Me the customer or the installer or the electrician who signed the COC? (Lets face it everyone is doing installation and getting people to sign them off, so lets not waste time going there, this thread is about registering the system)

Let me start by saying, there have been a lot of changes to the eThekwini website with regards to solar power since I last checked the site. I would suggest you visit the website and catchup.

There is now an energy section

https://www.durban.gov.za/pages/residents/energy-office

[Isetech]

With over 4000 people registered... I wonder how they registered if the link doesnt work?

http://www.shisasolar.org.za/

[Isetech]

IF you have the correct links and contact details of people who deal with this at eThekwini, please share them.

[Isetech]

IF you go to Residents - then to electricity services - new electricity services - Connection to the grid - connection to the grid you will find a section.

I wish you luck trying to email to that email address.

https://www.durban.gov.za/storage/Documents/Electricity%20Forms/Application_Forms.pdf

Come on eThekwini, you can do better

[Isetech]

As I have mentioned in the past on more than one occasion, when are they going to roll out the public awareness program, with hundreds of thousands of systems already installed and not registered, how are they going to deal with all the unregistered systems?

Do they plan on offering a grace period to register, how long is it going to be and what penalties and fines are going to be implemented? Nobody seems to have any answers?

Will you have to back pay from the date your system was installed?

Why is radio stations like East Coast Radio not getting on board, they discuss important matters with the Mayor, yet everyone is very quiet about solar registration. I message the radio station to enquire about it, I am still waiting for a response.

Is everyone hoping it might just go away, or is it going to be turned around and suddenly the public (customer) going to get burnt.

Some say the solar market has gone quiet, hence the massive price reduction (even though the exchange rate hasn't dropped, the excuse used for massive price hikes, when the demand was so high) I am gearing up to to start pushing solar sales and installs.

[Isetech]

I hear there was some positive feedback recently with regards to where we are going with solar installations.

Highlights:

1/ New smart meters.

2/ Registration

3/ Amnesty period, to register your system.

4/ Monthly fee rate per month

5/ Who must approve the design and installation.

I cant share the information as the message was forwarded to me.

So lets create some public awareness, clearly the municipality has no desire to keep the public informed.

It seems the information shared on the public website is not the same as what was discussed in the recent meeting.

The question everyone is asking, do you rush out and register quickly, or do you wait until the amnesty period.

DO you need a IE, MIE or Pr engineer to design and approve your installation.

What is the max size installation you can install on your residential property.

IF you have already installed a system 3 years ago will the new municipal regulations apply to your installation?

If your lithium battery was installed in side the house, will you have to relocate it.

Will the municipality or elctrical industry provide a basic guideline to the public so that they can identify if the installer has fitted the battery in a safe location.

So many questions and so few answers.

[Dave A]

Sounds like feedback from the meeting I attended on Tuesday 4th June 2024.

Some of the details still need to be finalised, hence the embargo on specifics for the time being.

At the moment the plan is to have Ethekwini Metro present to the next ECA SA Durban Branch meeting, by which time all aspects should be finalised.
The date of that meeting still needs to be finalised, but expected around the 3rd week of July 2024.
The meeting will also be open to non-members.

In broad terms I can confirm that there will be an online application process that should actually work, and that there will be an amnesty period for the registration of historical installs.
All registration applications will require sign-off by a registered person (IE, MIE etc.)
Installations above a certain size will require sign-off by a PR Eng.
Based on the threshold mentioned, it is highly unlikely that domestic installations will require signoff by a PR Eng.
Strict compliance with NRS 097 and SANS 10142-1 is expected.
Not specifically said, but given the nature of the discussion, expect strict compliance with the Electrical Installation Regulations being a clear requirement too.

[GCE]

I Take it that SANS 60364-7-712 will come into play as well

Try twist there arms to get to no PR sign off up to 350Kw peak which is the threshold for grid studies to be done according to NRS - Don't really see why we cannot get that right

If we can get that right in one or two areas and eventually when the CT guys get there act together and engage with the municipality it will be easier

[Isetech]

I was wondering why an PR engineer would have to check an elctrical installation that has already been checked by an IE or MIE.

Thank goodness we didn't go ahead and start registering using the Pr engineers @ R10 -15000 per installation, it would have just been another proper shafting for the customer. It is bad enough for people who had an installation done in 2023 paid could have paid as much as R100 000.00 more than installations in 2024, that extra R20 000 registration would have just been the cherry on top.

It is good to see there is progress and at least we have a better idea of what to expect.

[Dave A]

Try twist there arms to get to no PR sign off up to 350Kw peak which is the threshold for grid studies to be done according to NRS - Don't really see why we cannot get that right

The threshold for grid studies is the point under consideration at the moment

If we can get that right in one or two areas and eventually when the CT guys get there act together and engage with the municipality it will be easier

Same thought crossed my mind.
We've been asked to present to the local branch of AMEU too, so also a place to inject some thinking in the right direction.