The Town Council at its meeting on 2 March 2016 approved a policy for the connection of all forms of small-scale embedded electricity generation (SSEG) systems such as photovoltaic solar systems (solar panels), biomass reactors or wind turbines to the Mossel Bay Municipality’s electricity network.

This includes household as well as commercial systems.
The project will allow the Municipality to purchase electricity gene-rated by such systems at tariffs as determined annually by the Municipality during its normal budget cycle.
All customers wishing to participate in the SSEG tariff shall be required to install a bi-directional “smart” meter, which is capable of distinguishing between energy being “imported” from the municipal grid or “exported” from the SSEG into the grid. The meter has to be approved by the Municipality.
 
It is also essential that all customers wishing to install an SSEG system, regardless of generation capacity, complete the relevant sections of the application process in full. Written approval will be required from the Municipality prior to commencement of system procurement and installation. The approval process for a SSEG installation will vary, depending on the size of the system and consumer category.
The Municipality needs to ensure that, amongst other considerations, the SSEG installation can be accommodated on the electrical network and that the total SSEG capacity of the network has not been exceeded.  Equipment should therefore not be purchased prior to obtaining written approval from the Municipality as approval is not guaranteed. The Municipality will not be held liable for equipment expenses where approval is denied.
For commercial systems, in particular, an initial consultation with the Municipality’s Electrical Department to determine the full set of requirements is highly recommended prior to submission of the application form.

The Mossel Bay Municipality will not require SSEG systems smaller than 1 MVA to obtain a generating license provided that, over any consecutive 3-month period, they do not feed more electricity into the Municipality’s grid than they purchase from the Municipality.

Enquiries in this regard can be addressed to the Electricity Department of the Municipality at (044) 606-5000 or to dnaidoo@mosselbay.gov.za or cgeldenhuys@mosselbay.gov.za.