Guide

City & metro tariff framing

Cape Town, Johannesburg, eThekwini, Tshwane and other distributors price electricity differently. Solar payback follows your tariff — especially fixed charges and whether export credits exist.

New: 2026/27 per-kWh rates by metro and how to work out payback from them.

Answer first: Self-consuming solar almost always beats exporting. Fixed municipal charges do not disappear when you install PV. Confirm current SSEG rules and export schedules with your municipality — they change.

High-level education only — not a tariff schedule. NERSA publishes municipal tariff decisions; metros publish SSEG guides.
  • Identify whether you are on Eskom or a metro tariff
  • Note fixed/capacity charges vs energy c/kWh
  • Ask about bi-directional metering costs
  • Model savings on self-use first, credits second

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