The public comment period on the draft Revised Electricity Pricing Policy closed on 28 October 2026. The policy is government's overarching framework for how electricity prices and tariffs are set in South Africa, and this is its first revision since the current policy was approved in 2008. The Department of Electricity and Energy will now consider the submissions and finalise it. It has not given a date for that.
What changed
- The Minister of Electricity and Energy, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, extended the comment deadline to 28 October 2026 for two documents: the Revised Electricity Pricing Policy and the Electricity Sector Market Transformation Position Paper.
- The department says the Revised Electricity Pricing Policy was published for comment on 28 August 2026 (Government Notice No. 7852, Government Gazette No. 55257). Its earlier statement of 18 August had announced publication for 21 August, the date the department gives for the market transformation paper.
- The department says comments received after 28 October will not be considered.
What the policy covers
According to the department, the revised policy gives direction on, among other things:
- moving progressively towards cost-reflective tariffs, with consumer protection
- transparent, understandable tariff structures, and clearer information about the charges that make up a bill
- distribution and transmission use-of-system charges, the charges for using the grid
- protecting low-income households through Free Basic Electricity and lifeline tariffs
- how cross-subsidies are treated
The department links the rewrite to changes since 2008, including private electricity generation, the growth of distributed generation, wheeling and electricity trading, and the Electricity Regulation Amendment Act of 2024.
Why it matters if you have or want solar
This section is SolarGuide's reading, not the department's.
Rooftop solar saves you money by cutting the electricity you buy per kWh. It doesn't reduce fixed or grid-access charges. So the balance between fixed charges and per-kWh charges in a tariff has a direct effect on solar payback. The policy's focus on cost-reflective tariffs and use-of-system charges is the part to watch. It sets direction only. Your actual tariffs are still decided by NERSA and your municipality.
What to do now
- Nothing changes on your bill yet. The policy is still a draft, and today's tariffs and municipal increases still apply. Our electricity tariff tracker shows current rates by supplier.
- If you're comparing solar quotes, work out savings from the per-kWh charges you would avoid, not your total bill. The solar finance calculator helps you compare savings and payback.
- We'll publish an update when the department releases the final policy.
What we don't know yet
- When the final policy will be published.
- What changes the department will make in response to comments.
- How, and how quickly, NERSA and municipalities would apply it in tariff decisions.
