From July 1, consumers seeking new and temporary connections in most districts of south interior Karnataka will have to shell out Rs 4,998 for smart meters. Officials of Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Ltd (BESCOM) and Chamundeshwar Electricity Supply Corporation Ltd (CHESCOM) said smart metres are being rolled out for new and temporary connections from July 1, as per the Karantaka Electricity Regulation Commission guidelines.
The districts in which the smart meters are being introduced include Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Mandya, Hassan, Kodagu, Bengaluru Rural, Ramanagara, Kolar, Chitradurga, Tumakuru, Chikkaballapur and Davanagere. “Smart metres were first started in Bengaluru on a pilot basis. Now it is being expanded across the state in a phased manner,” said BESCOM Managing Director Shivashankar N.
An energy department official explained that though the companies involved in the tendering process have been different, all efforts are being made to ensure that the rates of the smart metres are more or less on par. This will be done to ensure there are no discrepancies and further questions or allegations.
The implementation of smart meters in urban areas under the jurisdiction of BESCOM, including Bengaluru city, had started on February 15, 2025.