EThekwini SSEG

[warrenpfo]

Like others out there I have tried to submit the documentation to registry my solar setup but the email used just bounces and when you call no one is able to offer any other way of submitting the application.

To this point EThekwini have kept biling me an estimate for my electricity usage even though for the past 6 months I have been submitting my meter reading and receiving acknowledgement there of via email.

I even had 2ppl in an EThekwini car turn up to conduct a meter inspection due to lower than usual meter readings and he checked my meter was working correctly and asked why it was I was using less power to which I explained we had installed solar at the request of eskoms energy chairman who asked it's customers to use as little of there services as possible, to which he chuckled.

It seems eThekwini acknowledge the fact you are using less power but refuse to amend your bill to reflect the lower usage and I question if I will ever see my money again that I have over paid so far.

That said I wanted to ask as my monthly rates bill is a once off payment to include elec, water, rates, refuse etc how is it prioritised?

Say my bill is R4500 of which R2500 is rates/refuse removal etc, R1k is water and R1500 is elec. If I only pay R4000 as I am using R500 less electricity each month (i will work out the dxact ammount) at some point they going to start chasing me for arrears and will want to cut something off, what will that something be? To what will the arrears be assigned too or as I want it to be clear it's for the lack of electricity used and am happy to go all the way to disconnection if required aswith one more 10kwh battery we could go off grid.


Appreciate the thoughts

 

[Kosmik]

Like others out there I have tried to submit the documentation to registry my solar setup but the email used just bounces and when you call no one is able to offer any other way of submitting the application.

To this point EThekwini have kept biling me an estimate for my electricity usage even though for the past 6 months I have been submitting my meter reading and receiving acknowledgement there of via email.

I even had 2ppl in an EThekwini car turn up to conduct a meter inspection due to lower than usual meter readings and he checked my meter was working correctly and asked why it was I was using less power to which I explained we had installed solar at the request of eskoms energy chairman who asked it's customers to use as little of there services as possible, to which he chuckled.

It seems eThekwini acknowledge the fact you are using less power but refuse to amend your bill to reflect the lower usage and I question if I will ever see my money again that I have over paid so far.

That said I wanted to ask as my monthly rates bill is a once off payment to include elec, water, rates, refuse etc how is it prioritised?

Say my bill is R4500 of which R2500 is rates/refuse removal etc, R1k is water and R1500 is elec. If I only pay R4000 as I am using R500 less electricity each month (i will work out the dxact ammount) at some point they going to start chasing me for arrears and will want to cut something off, what will that something be? To what will the arrears be assigned too or as I want it to be clear it's for the lack of electricity used and am happy to go all the way to disconnection if required aswith one more 10kwh battery we could go off grid.


Appreciate the thoughts

Simple question, have you filed your readings via e-services or the app? I do mine and as long as I respect the reading dates, they accept it.

This doesn't really have anything to do with the SSEG. I can't help you there as my rental provider sorted that out, I just had to sign the document and they are responsible for submission/approval etc.

 

[warrenpfo]

I email them to the address [email protected] and get a reply thanking me. I know my cut off day is the 21st and I submit on the 18th giving plenty time.

The fact they acknowledge and even sent someone out to inspect to me means they getting the readings.

I would be interested to know if you ask your landlord if they have been successful in lodging the application to register as I can almost be certain they have not.

Happy to try the app but can't see it making any difference

 

[mattontour]

I'm just at the start of this journey. We have just got our first bill post-solar-install. Our grid usage has dropped roughly 70%. Ethekwini refused to accept our meter readings, likely due to lower than normal usage. I guess I will have to start fighting...

 

[koogs]

Ethekwini billing section is a ballsup since they switched to their inhouse RMS (Revenue Management System ) which was Mike Sutcliffe's brainchild.

I email my electricity meter readings together with a pic of the meter showing the current reading a few days before my billing date every month, meter readers come every month and also take the readings but I am still billed on estimated consumption which is much higher than my actual consumption. I now noticed on my latest bill that they charged me estimated consumption for water as well.

This is an easy way for them to overcharge you and you have no choice but to pay or they disconnect you for arrears if you dont pay.

Last year when they did capture actual readings for my account I ended up with a R4K credit as I was being overcharged every month due to estimated consumption. This reverted back to estimated consumption on the next bill though....

 

[warrenpfo]

They can't disconnect you if you ate actually in credit. They may well threaten you but that's my argument and if push comes to shove I'll go off grid.

Stuff them They not getting another cent from me until they acknowledge my actual meter reading.

 

[koogs]

They can't disconnect you if you ate actually in credit. They may well threaten you but that's my argument and if push comes to shove I'll go off grid.

Stuff them They not getting another cent from me until they acknowledge my actual meter reading.

No they will disconnect you if you dispute the high bills due to estimated consumption and not actual meter readings and stop paying or pay less than what you are billed.

 

[warrenpfo]

Got my bill this morning and they have acknowledged the meter reading by the chap who visited earlier this month but not my meter reading a few days later showing a few more units having been used.

At least I have an updated reading and my bill this month is significantly less due to the credit I had with them.

Let's see how we do over the next few months in the hope we might be getting somewhere.

 

[ToxicBunny]

Got my bill this morning and they have acknowledged the meter reading by the chap who visited earlier this month but not my meter reading a few days later showing a few more units having been used.

At least I have an updated reading and my bill this month is significantly less due to the credit I had with them.

Let's see how we do over the next few months in the hope we might be getting somewhere.

Unfortunately they will revert to estimated usage next month for you and steadfastly refuse to acknowledge any readings you send them for a few months again, and rinse/repeat.

 

[warrenpfo]

To update.

I had eThekwini turn up unannounced requesting to install a digital meter 3 months back.

It was a 5min job after which I turned off the meter and have had a zero bill for the past 3 months.

Not going to bother about registration anymore and rather just focus on building the system and keeping off grid.

 

[Pansyfaust]

To update.

I had eThekwini turn up unannounced requesting to install a digital meter 3 months back.

It was a 5min job after which I turned off the meter and have had a zero bill for the past 3 months.

Not going to bother about registration anymore and rather just focus on building the system and keeping off grid.

Have been stuck in the same estimated billing quandry. Not for as long as you since I only got solar in September, but had someone come and do a reading in October and even submitted my meter reading on their meter capture days via eservices in Novemeber and I've not yet had any acknowledgement of reduced usage on my bills-suspect like you I will get regular estimated consumption bills where they take more and then some fat credit once they rebalance.

I considered SSEG as I can produce more than I need, but as I understand it, that route lies pain and likely many more obstacles than it's worth.

What was the point of the digital meter reading?

 

[Vis1/0N]

Article from 2001: tariff structure for renewable energy which kinda answers some questions - they don't like losing out on the cash cow.

Modelling exercises indicate that the municipality could lose up to R1bn per annum should customers generate their own electricity

Users with renewables and grid are still paying the regular tariff or has this threat been carried out?

when the sun is not out they need to switch back to the municipal grid, I'll be charging those people a little more on the tariffs as we have to reserve the energy for them.

Apparently.

The people who also want to sell to us can, but we have enough supply.

I am thinking of a bit of a DIY and looking around the rules and pitfalls. Without SSEG I still have to notify eThekwini? Although a couple of panels and a microinverter will be feeding back - probably pushing more than the base load at times.

 

[Cocopops]

Have been stuck in the same estimated billing quandry. Not for as long as you since I only got solar in September, but had someone come and do a reading in October and even submitted my meter reading on their meter capture days via eservices in Novemeber and I've not yet had any acknowledgement of reduced usage on my bills-suspect like you I will get regular estimated consumption bills where they take more and then some fat credit once they rebalance.

I considered SSEG as I can produce more than I need, but as I understand it, that route lies pain and likely many more obstacles than it's worth.

What was the point of the digital meter reading?

Hey there,

Wanted to see if you managed to resolve this?

Thank you

 

[Pansyfaust]

Hey there,

Wanted to see if you managed to resolve this?

Thank you

Yes, the billing was resolved. Had to find the correct email to send to. Now they have a new online submission system that seems to actually work.

My average consumption they are reporting is still "wrong" but I am lowering it every month by submitting the actual consumption and getting a refund on the next bills. I currently ,at most, use about 3-5KWH a day from municipality, but they are still recording it at 7.5KWH a day.