Will Eskom change its electricity pricing structure?

Eskom, South Africa’s embattled power utility, is pushing for significant changes to its electricity pricing structure, which would drastically increase the monthly costs for households using solar power.

Will Eskom's radical electricity pricing changes affect solar power?

Eskom’s proposals for radical electricity pricing changes would result in many households with lower consumption — including those with solar power — paying substantially more for electricity than they do now.

How will solar power affect Eskom?

Solar households, which rely on self-generated power and consume less from Eskom, would therefore be disproportionately affected, potentially paying much more than they do now simply to maintain a grid connection.

How will Eskom tariffs affect your electricity bill?

A recent analysis by MyBroadband shows the potential impact of these tariffs on Eskom customers. Households consuming no electricity could see a 321% increase in their bill, while those using only 100 kWh per month might face a monthly cost hike of approximately 130%.

Did Eskom offer a tax rebate on new solar panels?

Several residential solar power users have written to MyBroadband and complained online about Eskom’s proposed changes. They point out that at the height of load-shedding, government offered a tax rebate on new solar panels to help alleviate the devastating rotational power cuts.

How will Eskom's new solar tariffs affect low-consumption users?

As it stands, Eskom acknowledges that these proposed fixed charges would significantly impact low-consumption users, including those with solar installations. In its latest tariff revision, Eskom conceded that households using less than 900 kWh per month would face considerable cost increases.