Kouga Formalises Rooftop Solar Registration Requirement

by | Feb 28, 2026 | St Francis

Kouga Formalises Rooftop Solar Registration

Kouga Local Municipality has approved a compulsory registration process for all existing Small Scale Embedded Generation systems, including rooftop solar installations. The resolution was adopted at the Ordinary Council Meeting on 26 February 2026.

Every property owner operating a solar PV system that connects to the municipal electricity grid is now required to register that installation with the municipality.

The registration period runs from 1 March to 30 June 2026. During this four month window, residents may regularise their systems without penalties.

The policy signals a transition from informal accommodation of embedded generation to structured regulatory oversight.

Network Safety and Technical Compliance

Municipal officials state that the expansion of rooftop solar across Kouga has accelerated beyond existing monitoring mechanisms.

Unregistered embedded systems can introduce technical instability into the distribution network. Documented risks include back-feeding during outages, voltage irregularities, and safety exposure for municipal technicians working on live infrastructure.

Formal registration enables the municipality to verify that installations comply with prescribed technical standards and grid connection requirements. It also creates a verified database of embedded generation capacity operating within the municipal footprint.

The decision aligns with national frameworks governing Small Scale Embedded Generation and municipal electricity distribution.

Load Management

Electricity distribution remains a primary municipal revenue stream. The growth of private generation directly affects load forecasting, infrastructure planning, and tariff modelling.

Accurate data on embedded generation capacity strengthens demand management strategies and long term financial planning. Registration provides the municipality with visibility over distributed generation patterns and their impact on the grid.

According to Speaker Cllr Lorraine Maree, the programme establishes a structured and equitable pathway to compliance while safeguarding the integrity of the electricity network.

After 30 June 2026, systems operating outside the registration framework may be subject to enforcement processes under municipal electricity bylaws.

Residents operating grid-connected solar installations are encouraged to complete the registration process within the designated compliance window.

So don’t all rush at once…

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Read more: Kouga’s quiet stand for the whales

Read more: Thyspunt Back On The Table, Quietly

Thyspunt Back On The Table, Quietly

by | Feb 28, 2026 | St Francis

Photo: Coega Development Corporation Facebook page

A few weeks ago, while most of us were focused on surf, schools, work, and potholes, Eskom was back at Thyspunt.

On day four of a provincial visit to the Eastern Cape, Eskom’s Nuclear Operating Unit, together with the Coega Development Corporation, walked the proposed 5,200MW nuclear power station site near Oyster Bay, inside Kouga Municipality.

No big fanfare. Just another step in a process that has resurfaced more than once over the past three decades.

Meetings, Mayors and Municipal Readiness

The visit included a high-level meeting with Kouga Executive Mayor Hattingh Bornman and Sarah Baartman District Executive Mayor Deon De Vos.

The language was familiar. Coordinated governance. Infrastructure readiness. Local leadership. Alignment across spheres of government.

Eskom positioned the engagement as part of ongoing stakeholder discussions around South Africa’s nuclear build programme. Nuclear remains on the national table as a potential source of stable, low-carbon baseload power.

Photo: Coega Development Corporation Facebook page

A Site With History, and Community Memory

Thyspunt has been identified for nuclear development since the 1990s. Each revival reopens a local conversation that never fully settles. It always stirs emotions.

Environmental sensitivity, seismic considerations, evacuation logistics and pressure on already stretched municipal infrastructure continue to sit at the centre of public concern.

Eskom has indicated that updated environmental processes will follow, including formal public participation.

For now, the message is simple. Thyspunt is active in planning discussions again. And in this part of the world, people will be watching.

Quite closely.

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Read more: Kouga’s quiet stand for the whales

Read more: Kouga strengthens tourism position at SATSA LinkUp Workshop and Networking Expo At The Links

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