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06 May 2019
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Agri SA pressures NERSA to register SSEG projects / Agri SA plaas druk op NERSA om SSEG-projekte te registreer

6 May 2019

Agri SA is concerned by NERSA’s reluctance to register SSEG projects. Agri SA’s members has the potential to supply the electricity needed to prevent future load shedding through small-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) installations (less than 1 MW), referred to as small-scale embedded generators (SSEGs).

“It is unacceptable that farmers who want to do their part to relieve strain on the grid are not allowed to do so” said Nicol Jansen, Agri SA Chairman of the Economics and Trade Centre of Excellence.

According to the Licensing Exemption and Registration Notice that was gazetted on 10 November 2017, SSEGs are exempt from licensing but are required to be registered with NERSA. However, by failing to register SSEGs, NERSA is preventing completed SSEG projects to be connected to the grid.  Non-registration has been the status quo, despite the following:

  • NERSA approving a registration process at an Energy Regulator (ER) meeting on 3 October 2018.
  • NERSA approving a registration fee of R200 at an ER meeting on 1 March 2019.
  • The Registration Process and Internal Procedure for Registration of SSEGs was published on NERSA’s website on 19 March 2019.
  • On 26 March 2019 NERSA issued e-mails confirming the reference number and account into which the registration fee should be paid.
  • The electricity subcommittee (ELS) approved 17 projects for registration on 10 April 2019: NERSA should have issued the registration letters as per their process.
  • The ELS subsequently decided to deviate from the approved process and recommended these 17 applications to the ER meeting for final approval.
  • For some unknown reason, the registration of SSEGs was not placed on the agenda of the ER meeting of 29 April 2019, resulting in yet another delay.
  • The facilities have not been registered by NERSA, even though the registration fees were paid.

For this reason, Agri SA is compelled to explore further options to exert pressure on NERSA to perform its mandate and register SSEG projects that meet the registration requirements. This will include the possibility of pursuing legal remedies.

 

Agri SA is bekommerd oor NERSA se onwilligheid om SSEG-projekte te registreer. Agri SA lede het die potensiaal om deur middel van small-scale embedded generators (SSEG’s) (minder as 1 MW), die nodige krag te voorsien om toekomstige beurtkrag te vermy.

“Dit is onaanvaarbaar dat boere wat hul deel wil doen om druk op die kragnetwerk te verlig, nie toegelaat word om dit te doen nie,” sê Nicol Jansen, Agri SA se voorsitter van die Sentrum van Uitnemendheid: Ekonomie en Handel.

Ingevolge die Licensing Exemption and Registration Notice wat op 10 November 2017 in die Staatskoerant gepubliseer is, word SSEGs vrygestel van lisensiëring maar moet by NERSA geregistreer word. NERSA se versuim om SSEGs te registreer verhoed egter dat voltooide SSEG-projekte by die kragnetwerk kan aansluit. Nie-registrasie was tot dusver die status quo, ten spyte van die volgende:

  • NERSA se goedkeuring van ‘n registrasieproses tydens ‘n Energiereguleerder-vergadering gehou op 3 Oktober 2018.
  • NERSA se goedkeuring van ‘n registrasiefooi van R200 tydens ‘n Energiereguleerder-vergadering gehou op 1 Maart 2019.
  • Die Registrasieproses en Interne Prosedure vir Registrasie van SSEGs is op 19 Maart 2019 op NERSA se webwerf gepubliseer.
  • NERSA het op 26 Maart 2019 eposse uitgestuur waarin hy die verwysingsnommer en die rekening waarin die registrasiefooi betaal moet word, bevestig het.
  • Die Elektrisiteit-subkomitee het op 10 April 2019 sewentien (17) projekte vir registrasie goedgekeur. Ingevolge hul proses, was NERSA veronderstel om die registrasiebriewe uit te stuur.
  • Die Elektrisiteitsubkomitee het daarna besluit om af te wyk van die goedgekeurde proses en om hierdie 17 aansoeke by die Energiereguleerder-vergadering aan te beveel vir finale goedkeuring.
  • Vir een of ander onbekende rede, was die registrasie van SSEGs nie by die sakelys van die Energiereguleerder-vergadering van 29 April 2019 ingesluit nie. Dit het ‘n verdere vertraging tot gevolg gehad.
  • Alhoewel die registrasiefooie betaal is, is die fasiliteite nog nie deur NERSA geregistreer nie.

Agri SA is dus genoop om verdere opsies te oorweeg ten einde druk op NERSA uit te oefen om sy mandaat te vervul en SSEG-projekte wat voldoen aan die registrasievereistes te registreer. Dit sluit in die moontlike aanwending van regsmiddele.