For the purpose of this exercise we are looking at a scenario in which you you are a domestic single phase consumer consuming in excess of 950 kWh’s per month:
As an ATTP (Assistance to the Poor) consumer that will place you in Block 5 as you are consuming more than 900 kWh’s per month and your cost per kWh will be R2.53
As a NON ATTP (Assistance to the Poor) consumer that will place you in Block 4 and your cost per kWh will be R2.62
IF you have a Smart Meter installed your tariff ceases to be on the IBT (Inclined Block Tariff) and becomes a bit more complicated as it moves to a time of use tariff as follows:
Monthly Basic Charge: R85.52- Energy Charge Peak Times: R2.87
- Energy Charge Standard Times: R1 65
- Energy Charge Off-Peak: R1.22
The three variable tariffs above occur during these times:
- Peak Times: Winter & summer weekdays: 07:00 – 10:00; 18:00 – 20:00
- Standard Times: Winter & summer weekdays: 06:00 – 07:00; 10:00 –18:00; 20:00 to 22:00 OR Winter & Summer Saturday: 07:00 – 12:00; 18:00 – 20:00
- Off-Peak Times: Winter & summer weekdays: 00:00 – 06:00; 22:00 – 24:00 OR Winter & summer Saturday: 00:00 – 07:00; 12:00 – 18:00; 20:00 – 24:00 OR Winter & summer Sunday: 00:00 – 24:00
Public Holidays will be treated like a Saturday or a Sunday as specified annually by Eskom for their Mega flex tariff. Generally, public holidays treated as Sundays are: New Year’s Day; Good Friday; Family Day (Easter Monday); Christmas Day; and Day of Goodwill. As a rule, all other public holidays are treated as Saturdays, except in cases where such holidays are on a Sunday.
By installing a highly customisable Solar Inverter (with an online GUI or APP to make management a breeze) along with Lithum Batteries it is possible to bring your energy spend per month down to R85.52.
Taking the above three tariffs and NOT FACTORING SOLAR PRODUCTION into the equation you will pay the following for your electricity per month:
- ATTP (900 units) – R1 108.82
- NON-ATTP (950 units) – R 1235.45
- Time of Use: (950 units) – R 1078.75 (This total will be slightly lower as we have NOT factored public holidays into the equation)
The NMBM will charge R5 737.61 to install a Smart Meter.
With the above you have ONE MORE CLUE as to whether a Solar Installation will be a good fit for your situation. i.e If you consume 950 units per month you can expect to save around R1000.00 per month in electricity.