City Power solar installations: How to make a compliant application

City Power is calling on residents to ensure their solar installations are compliant.

The entity has faced criticism after some ward councillors in the Johannesburg metro suggested residents would be subject to exorbitant fees and possible disconnection of their solar installations.

City Power has claimed this is not the case but stated that compliance with their by-laws is mandatory and that all solar installations must be declared and approved.

R30,000 application fee

All installations of photovoltaic systems are now subject to a small-scale embedded generation (SSEG) application to be made through City Power.

The move is aimed at safety and “fostering a sustainable energy future” with City Power telling The Citizen that a commitment to turnaround times on applications was an “ongoing process”.

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Applications are subject to a fee determined on a sliding scale based on the megavolt ampere (MVA).

The lowest threshold is 0 to 1MVA and comes with a R30,000 excluding VAT application fee.

As per Daelim Electric, 1 MVA generator can be used to power data centres, factories, windfarms and other industrial-scale operations, suggesting all residential homes would fall under the first threshold.

City Power solar application fees are based on maximum export capacity. Picture: City Power

Network service charges applicable

New solar installations will also be forced onto post-paid accounts, making solar users subject to network service fees and smart meter access.

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“To facilitate the measurement of both electricity import and export, a smart/bi-directional meter will be installed at the customer’s expense,” stated City Power spokesperson Isaac Mangena.

Step on how to apply for solar through City Power:

1. Residents must complete an Electricity Supply application form through the municipality, which will give them a notification number linking them to City Power’s SSEG department.
2. Residents must then submit their solar application form to jozipvpower@citypower.co.za
3. City Power will arrange a site inspection and once complete, the resident will be added to the City Power’s database.
4. Installation will be conducted, followed by testing and commissioning.
5. Residents must then submit their Certificate of Compliance (CoC) as well as their PV Commissioning Form to City Power.
6. City Power will verify those documents before issuing a pre-approval letter, followed by a final approval letter.

Documents needed for application

City Power outlined the key documents needed for the solar application:

• A fully completed Electricity Supply Form
• A Single Line Diagram
• Inverter Datasheet
• Inverter NRS Certificate
• Design/Drawings
• Site Plan/Layout
• Maintenance Procedure
• PV Commissioning Form
• Certificate of Compliance
• For systems exceeding 350kVA, a Grid Impact Study is mandatory and must receive approval from the Planning Evaluation Committee (PEC).

The GIS is to ensure efficiency and safe integration into the existing rid.  

Should the customer wish to backfeed, City Power will advise on this at the site inspection phase of the application.  

Response from Shadow MMC

Democratic Alliance Shadow MMC for the Environment, Infrastructure and Services Department Nicole van Dyk shared resident’s bemusement at the “misleading” messaging.

“Yet again very little public consultation was done on this matter. They should be encouraging people to install solar and this is a deterrent,” Van Dyk told The Citizen.

The Ward 99 councillor added that the regulations and fees felt like “another grab for money” by a municipality struggling for funding.

“The city always going after the little guy and business for money yet state and provincial eneties remain untouched,” Van Dyk concluded.

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