George electricity tariffs 2026/27: solar payback and the new 103c export credit

Answer first: George is now one of the better places in the Western Cape to export solar. NERSA approved a flat 103 c/kWh feed-in credit for 2026/27 while domestic energy rose 7.88%, so every self-used kWh is worth about 3.71 rand incl. VAT and every exported kWh earns more than a rand. The Garden Route winter is the one thing to design around. Related: metro tariffs desk · winter solar production · export or self-consume.

What NERSA approved for George in 2026/27

George implemented a 10.90% average increase in 2025/26 and applied for 7.88% for 2026/27; NERSA’s Regulator Executive Committee considered the application on 8 May 2026 and approved 7.88% across the domestic and commercial scales (NERSA Reasons for Decision, George Municipality tariffs FY2026/27). NERSA records that the City’s cost-of-supply study pointed to an 18.5% increase for full cost reflectivity, so George is phasing towards cost-reflective tariffs rather than jumping there in one year — expect above-inflation increases to keep coming.

The 800 kWh George household bill

A 60 A home on the standard domestic scale using 800 kWh a month pays:

• Energy: 800 kWh × 322.88 c = R2 583.04
• Basic charge: R115.58
• Capacity: 60 A × R6.98 = R418.80

Total R3 117.42 excl. VAT, about R3 585 incl. VAT. The fixed portion — R534.38 excl. VAT — does not move when solar goes on the roof, so it belongs in every payback model. The same 800 kWh on the 20 A energy-only scale costs about R3 414 incl. VAT, but a 20 A supply cannot run a geyser, oven and kettle at once.

What a 5 kW hybrid saves in George

PVGIS models a north-facing 25° array in George producing about 1 516 kWh per kWp a year: 154 kWh per kWp in December, 144 in January and November, falling to 104 in May and 97 in June (EU JRC PVGIS v5.2 (1 kWp, 25° north-facing, 14% system loss; run 27 Oct 2026)). A 5.5 kWp array therefore makes about 695 kWh in an average month — roughly 847 kWh in December and 534 kWh in June.

R100 000 sits inside SolarZA’s national 2026 band of R80 000–R120 000 for a 5 kW hybrid with ten 550 W panels and a 5–10 kWh lithium battery (SolarZA price guide (updated Jan 2026)). At the 2025/26 rates the same system saved about R1 654 a month (450 kWh at 344.20 c incl. plus 150 kWh at 70 c), so the 2026/27 decision added about R171 a month to every George solar home — R49.50 of it from the higher export credit.

The 103c export credit, in context

NERSA’s decision explains why George raised its export credit by 47.14%: at 103 c/kWh, the municipality buys rooftop energy for less than half of the 211.90 c/kWh average it pays Eskom on Municflex (NERSA Reasons for Decision, George Municipality tariffs FY2026/27). For the homeowner that means exporting is now worth about 28% of a self-used kWh (103 c against 371.31 c incl. VAT), up from 20%. Self-use still wins by a wide margin, but midday surplus that cannot be stored is no longer close to worthless.

The practical rule: size the array for self-use plus battery charging, let the surplus export, and do not oversize for export income. A 450 kWh self-use household earns R1 671 a month from self-consumption; doubling exports from 150 to 300 kWh adds only R154.50. Compare the rand values in export credit vs self-use.

George Flex time-of-use: built for a battery

George also offers a domestic Flex time-of-use tariff: R116.45 basic and R7.03/kVA capacity per month, with energy in two seasons (NERSA Reasons for Decision, George Municipality tariffs FY2026/27):

The winter peak is 4 times the off-peak price. A solar home with a battery on Flex runs the evening peak from stored solar, tops up off-peak, and avoids almost every 791.68 c kWh in June–August — exactly the months when panels produce least. This is where a 16 kWh battery pays: if you are too busy to read the sizing guide, get a 16 kWh battery that can be expanded later. 48 V DC is the oldest, most proven home hybrid architecture, and installers say Solar MD packs outlive their warranty — 16 kWh battery cost 2026 · battery sizing.

Design for the Garden Route winter

• Tilt steeper if you can. June yield is 63% of December’s. A steeper tilt trades some summer surplus for winter output, which is worth more on Flex.
• Check salt and spray exposure. Coastal homes from Wilderness to Herolds Bay need mounting hardware and inverters rated for the environment — panel maintenance.
• Register before you connect. The export credit only flows on an approved SSEG connection with a bi-directional meter, an electrical CoC and an NRS 097-2-1 listed inverter — SSEG application steps.
• Get two quotes on the same brief. Same usable battery kWh, same inverter class, same panel count — what a quote must include.

George households that heat water with an electric geyser should price a heat pump alongside solar: it takes the biggest single load off the evening and shrinks the battery you need — heat pump vs more PV.

Quick questions

How much did George electricity increase in 2026/27?

NERSA approved a 7.88% increase across George Municipality’s domestic tariffs from 1 July 2026. The standard domestic energy charge moved from 299.30 c to 322.88 c/kWh excl. VAT, and the basic charge from R107.14 to R115.58 a month.

What does George pay for solar exported to the grid?

103 c/kWh excl. VAT in 2026/27, up from 70 c — a 47.14% increase. The same rate applies in every time-of-use period and both seasons. NERSA’s decision notes that this is still well below the 211.90 c/kWh George pays Eskom on Municflex.

Is the George Flex time-of-use tariff good for solar homes?

Yes for homes with a battery. Off-peak energy costs 157.26 c/kWh excl. VAT from September to May and 197.32 c in June–August, so a battery charged by solar by day and the grid off-peak at night avoids the 791.68 c winter peak.

How much solar do I get in George in winter?

PVGIS models about 97 kWh per kWp in June and 154 kWh per kWp in December for a north-facing 25° array. A 5.5 kWp array makes about 534 kWh in June and 847 kWh in December — winter output is about 63% of summer output.