Tariffs
What is City Power Johannesburg’s SSEG feed-in tariff in 2026/27?
City Power’s residential embedded-generator export credit for FY2026/27 is 124.60 c/kWh excl. VAT (≈143.29 c incl.) on the NERSA-approved schedule from 1 July 2026. Prepaid residential SSEG customers must migrate to a time-of-use conventional tariff; bi-directional metering is required to export. Self-use still beats export because Joburg import blocks sit roughly in the mid-R3 to low-R4 per kWh incl. range on published prepaid high bands.
Updated 27 October 2026 · Illustrative ranges — not a formal quote, credit decision or legal advice.
Answer first: Register, migrate tariff if you are prepaid, fit the bi-directional meter, then design for daytime self-use. Treat the ~143 c incl. credit as a bonus — not the payback engine.
Primary numbers (FY2026/27)
| Item | Excl. VAT | Incl. 15% VAT |
|---|---|---|
| Residential embedded generator energy (export credit) | 124.60 c/kWh | ≈143.29 c/kWh |
| Business & LPU embedded generator ≤1 MW | 103.26 c/kWh | ≈118.75 c/kWh |
Sources: City Power Annexure A1 Embedded Generator Tariff (31 March 2026); NERSA RfD City Power FY2026/27 (REC 11 May 2026; impl. 1 July 2026); CoJ ITEM-76 / approved electricity tariffs 2026/27. Confirm the live credit on your statement.
Consumer conditions that catch people out
- Applies to net consumers who are grid-tied and registered; equipment must meet City Power technical standards.
- Residential exporters must be on a time-of-use conventional tariff — prepaid residential SSEG customers must migrate.
- Bi-directional metering required if the system can feed back.
- Generation capacity cap ≤1 MW on this tariff path; pure feed-only suppliers use a negotiated PPA instead.
- Fixed / service / capacity charges remain after solar — energy credits do not erase the floor.
Self-use maths (illustrative)
Avoiding a ~334–437 c incl. prepaid-high import unit saves far more than earning ~143 c on an export. Shift laundry, dishwasher and EV charging into sun hours; size usable battery kWh for evening peaks and Stage essentials rather than chasing export volume — export vs self-use · monthly savings · fixed charges.
Application checklist for Joburg homes
- Last 12 months consumption and current tariff code / prepaid vs conventional.
- Proposed inverter kVA, NRS 097 family, and single- vs three-phase supply.
- Who files SSEG, books the meter swap, and registers warranties.
- Whether you need zero-export settings while the file is pending — zero-export · bi-directional meter · SSEG steps.
Compare with other metros
Cape Town residential feed-in + incentive ≈152.93 c incl.; eThekwini export ≈184.60 c incl. with network-access on inverter kVA; Tshwane NERSA RfD credit ≈108 c incl. with a City FAQ that still cites an older figure — confirm live. Hub: metro tariffs · feed-in overview · Cape Town TOU.
Installer brief language
Ask every Joburg quote to show: post-SSEG tariff code, export credit assumed (c/kWh), fixed charges remaining, and a zero-export sensitivity. If the savings page assumes prepaid rates forever after grid-tied export, reject it — read a quote · prepaid + solar.
Worked monthly sketch (illustrative)
Displace 350 kWh of ~400 c incl. import via self-use ≈ R1 400 energy saved. Export 100 kWh at ~143 c ≈ R143. The export is nice; it does not carry the business case. If prepaid migration raises fixed charges, subtract that floor before you celebrate — fixed charges.
Common Joburg quote failures
- Savings modelled on prepaid rates after export registration.
- No line item for bi-directional meter or SSEG filing labour.
- Inverter kVA far above need “for future EV” without NMD / diversity plan.
- Export credit assumed equal to import rate (it is not).
Where the 124.60 c figure sits in the paper trail
Annexure A1 (31 March 2026) lists the residential embedded-generator energy charge; NERSA’s City Power FY2026/27 Reasons for Decision (REC 11 May 2026) and CoJ ITEM-76 / approved tariff PDFs align on 124,60 c/kWh excl. VAT from 1 July 2026. Incl. 15% VAT guide: 124.60 × 1.15 ≈ 143.29 c/kWh. Business/LPU ≤1 MW sits at 103.26 c excl. (≈118.75 c incl.). Always re-read your own statement — schedules get amended.
Prepaid → TOU conventional: what to ask City Power / the installer
- Exact tariff code you will land on after SSEG approval.
- Whether AMI / conventional meter fees change the monthly floor.
- Lead time for bi-directional meter appointment and who pays.
- Whether export credits appear as kWh offsets only (NERSA net-billing style — not cash withdrawal).
- What happens to credits at financial year-end (rollover limits under national rules).
National framing: NERSA net-billing news · net metering vs billing · “solar tax” myths.
Design implications for Joburg roofs
North-facing still helps annual yield; east–west can match morning/evening self-use when you are at work mid-day. Battery usable kWh should target evening retail peaks and Stage essentials, not “export maximisation” on a 143 c credit. Oversized inverters that raise connection or capacity costs without self-use are a Joburg own-goal — orientation & tilt · usable kWh · NMD.
Document pack for the SSEG file
- Single-line diagram, NRS 097 inverter certificate family, earthing sketch.
- CoC pathway and ECSA/PV GreenCard where the metro asks.
- Proof of conventional TOU tariff migration plan if leaving prepaid.
- Export limitation settings if you must energise before meter swap — zero-export.
Inspector mindset: CoC / inspector tips · SSEG cost · do I need SSEG.
Side-by-side with Cape Town and eThekwini
| Metro | Residential export guide (incl. VAT) | Watch-out |
|---|---|---|
| City Power Joburg | ≈143.29 c | Prepaid exporters must migrate; bi-directional meter |
| Cape Town | ≈152.93 c (base+incentive) | Home User + AMI admin; TOU optional path |
| eThekwini | ≈184.60 c | Network-access R/kVA on inverter — do not oversize casually |
| Tshwane | ≈108 c on NERSA RfD | City FAQ may still show older c/kWh — confirm live |
Hub links: metro tariffs · Cape Town TOU · 2026 tariffs overview.
Finance and payback honesty
Model bond / energy-loan repayments against self-use savings after fixed charges, not against a fantasy export cheque. If the loan payment exceeds realistic monthly energy avoided, shrink the system or pay cash for a smaller phase-1 — bond finance · payback · expand later.
Zero-export while the Joburg file is pending
If the hybrid is commissioned before the bi-directional meter and tariff migration complete, keep export limitation on and operate as a self-use system. Energising with open export into a prepaid meter you have not migrated is how compliance fights start. Align the installer’s energisation letter with City Power’s current checklist — zero-export · application steps.
Once the meter is live, verify the first statement shows export kWh and the ~143 c-class credit (or the live figure). If credits are missing, escalate with serials and the SSEG reference before assuming “solar is broken.”
Link back to the savings desk
City Power’s ~143 c incl. credit is real money on exported leftovers, not a reason to point every panel at midday export. The Joburg home that wins 2026/27 is the one that times geysers, laundry and EV charging into sun hours, keeps fixed charges visible in the model, and finishes SSEG paperwork so the bi-directional meter can legally count what little export remains — monthly savings · read a quote · costs & savings.
Quick questions
Do prepaid Joburg homes keep prepaid after SSEG export?
No — City Power / CoJ conditions require residential exporters on a time-of-use conventional tariff. Plan the migration before you model savings.
Is 143 c/kWh enough to design for export?
Usually not. Import blocks are much higher; design for self-use and treat export as a bonus on the approved credit.
What size is capped on this embedded-generator tariff?
Generation capacity ≤1 MW on the published embedded-generator path; larger / feed-only plants use different commercial arrangements.
Sources & related
- Solar News 24 — metro tariffs
- Solar News 24 — feed-in tariffs
- Solar News 24 — bi-directional meters
- NERSA / City Power tariff documents (local research pack)