IN CONVERSATION WITH Sydney Vukeya ( director of Ndzalo Electrical & Solar suppliers)

Eskom has announced a new strategy that involves using satellite imagery and artificial intelligence (AI) to detect unregistered rooftop solar installations across South Africa. The move forms part of the power utility’s intensified campaign to enforce compliance with its Small-Scale Embedded Generation (SSEG) registration regulations.
The AI-powered technology can identify solar panels on rooftops in specific geographic areas and match them to property addresses. This allows Eskom to pinpoint solar installations that have not been officially registered—even if those systems are not feeding power back into the grid.
Eskom has stressed that all grid-tied solar power systems, regardless of whether they export electricity, must be registered. The utility has warned that failure to comply renders such installations illegal. Consequences may include fines, mandatory system upgrades, or even disconnection from the national grid.