The City of Windhoek’s Electricity Department announced on Wednesday that all embedded generators, including standby units and solar photovoltaic (PV) systems, must be registered with the city within the next 24 months. This mandatory registration aims to address evolving electricity distribution challenges and mitigate risks associated with generators, such as feedback into the grid that could endanger personnel, destabilize the network, and damage equipment.
City officials stressed the importance of compliance, warning that failure to register by the deadline would be considered an illegal wiring offense, subject to penalties. The City also emphasized that all generators will undergo inspections conducted by City Council inspectors. These inspections will assess the interlocking systems to ensure they do not operate in parallel with the grid and will include visual assessments.
Generators found to have substandard wiring will need to address these issues before receiving approval. Additionally, standby generators with a capacity exceeding 500kVA are required to obtain a generation license under the Electricity Act of 2007, which must be submitted along with the registration application.
The city’s push for generator registration comes as part of its ongoing efforts to improve grid safety and reliability amid the growing use of embedded generation systems.