A generator.
The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) is inviting the public to comment on newly proposed regulations that would require citizens to register with the regulator before connecting home generators, Randburg Sun reports.
This has sparked much panic among residents.
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The details are explained in the draft consultation paper, ‘Rules for Regulation of Small-Scale Embedded Generation’.
In a media statement issued by the Energy Expert Coalition, Ted Blom, a partner at Mining & Energy Advisors, said: “All South Africans, from peaceful pensioner to street vendor barber and large business owners, are under pressure to oppose the new Nersa regulations for small-scale embedded generators (SSEG Rules) as provision for public comments closes on 31 May, 2018.”
Blom further explained in the media release that under the rules it would be a requirement for all owners/buyers of small-scale ‘electricity generators’ less than 1 MW to make an application for the establishment of the installation to their local distributor (municipality or Eskom) and then to register with Nersa.
“I view the rules as draconian,” said Blom.
“As they apply to all small installations, whether for private or public use and whether they are to be connected to the grid or not.”
Blom highlighted that the definitions and rules were far too wide as they essentially extended down to micro-solar chargers for cell phones. The definitions were also not clear as they demand registration of all devices, yet only describe the procedure to be followed for GRID linked devices, stated the media statement.
The ambit of these regulations is similar to the unworkable and failed Gauteng e-Toll regulations yet far wider in that they apply to almost all 55 million South Africans in all nine provinces.
“These rules are poorly drafted and unworkable and will result in wide-scale civil disobedience if promulgated,” warned Blom.
Such regulations will result in a permitting system, and eventually, licence fees will be instituted to fund policing of installations. This added cost will give rise to yet another financial burden for ordinary SA citizens, which Blom makes clear “is a regrettable situation which we will challenge”.
The public is invited to comment on the proposed regulations through Blom’s Energy Expert Coalition at www.eeco.co.za/projects/generator
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