Smart meters mandatory for all new and temporary connections: KERC

Bengaluru: In a response to the queries by various Electricity Supply Companies (Escoms) in the state, the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission (KERC), in a letter, reiterated that the smart meters were mandatory for all new connections (except irrigation pumpsets) and temporary connections.

Citing the CEA (Installation and Operation of Meters) Amendment Regulations dated 28.02.2022 and the KERC (Pre-paid Smart Metering) Regulations, 2024, the Commission said that other existing consumers who wish to convert their meters to smart meters can do so at their own cost.

However, the Karnataka High Court, on April 25, 2025 passed an interim order restraining Bescom and the State government from mandating the use of smart meters.

Asked if the order would interfere with the KERC’s letter, a senior KERC official said that the letter only laid out the laws and the Escoms are to implement them considering the judicial constraints. “We have only laid out what the rules by both the Central Electricity Authority and the KERC say. However, before implementing them, the Escoms have to check if there is a stay from the Court. KERC is not a party in any of the cases and hence we are not aware of the orders,” the official said.

However, sources in the Energy department opined that the case in the High Court was mainly against the pricing of smart meters and the stay on mandatory installation of smart meters would be eventually lifted.