The City of Cape Town has introduced a more affordable meter for residents to sell excess power back to the municipality under the Cash for Power Programme. 

The much-anticipated meter now allows residents to profit from surplus electricity generated by their solar panels. The new single-phase AMI meter costs 40% less at R6,043 (including VAT) compared to the previous three-phase meter priced at R10,508. Cape Town leads the way in buying back excess power through municipal bill credits or cash incentives. An estimated R35 million has been earned since the beginning of the 2022/23 fiscal year up to April 1, 2024, marking a significant step in the city's efforts to reduce load shedding. The municipality reports that there are currently 1657 participants benefiting from the  Cash for Power initiative, with 910 being residential and 627 commercial/industrial. The city has committed to purchasing as much electricity as possible from registered households and businesses.

Interested in selling your extra power?

To commence the sale of excess electricity, the process of acquiring a new single phase AMI meter is automated for those with an ongoing SSEG application. If this does not apply to you, you can proceed with the Service Connection procedure to request a new meter. Find out more here about the costs involved as well as how much you could earn. 

If you wish to only offset your electricity and rates accounts, you do not need to apply and will automatically be compensated on authorization of your grid-tied SSEG system with feed-in. If interested in going above and beyond this, you can register and receive cash for your power – where any remaining credit will accumulate until it reaches a certain amount and then the City will pay you out.

What you need to know

As exciting this this sounds, there are cetain things you need to consider and understand before you apply to sell you excess power to the city. Here is a list of things you need to know:

• You need to register as a supplier to the city
• You shold be registered with the National Treasury Web Based Central Supplier Database (CSD)
• Cash for Power applications for this round should be submitted to hoosain.essop@capetown.gov.za by 8 March 2024.

Any submissions received after this date will be kept for the next round, with the date to be announced after this first round closes on 8 March 2024

Contact us to discuss solar solution options that suit your needs best. We'll be pleased to give you a free energy audit and a site assessment. We have a number of finance options available shoud you want to take the funding route.