Government Schemes

KSEB Smart Meter: Who Gets One, Prepaid Rules and Reported Phase 2

By FGE Solar Editorial Team··10 min read

A forward says every home meter is being changed to prepaid, and your solar installer is not sure what happens to the net meter. This page splits the KSEB smart meter picture for Kerala homes into two parts. Phase 2 for homes and the central grant are reported in the news and not yet officially confirmed. The rules on prepaid billing, meter testing, time-of-day tariffs and solar meters come from government orders, and you can use them now.

Checked17 Oct 2026
StatusPhase 2 coverage and central grant: reported by The Times of India, Mathrubhumi and The Hindu; no official notice yet
Primary sourcesKSERC order OP 12/2026, Supply Code 2014, KSERC RE Regulations 2025, central consumer rules
KSEB smart meter being fitted on the outer wall of a Kerala home with rooftop solar

Quick answer: Only government offices on LT supply have approved prepaid smart meter billing in Kerala; for homes, KSERC has not fixed a billing method, rent or deposit. News reports say Phase 2 will cover solar homes and homes using over 150 units a month. When your meter is changed, check the fitter's ID and witness the sealing.

What the news reports say about Phase 2 and the central grant

Reported, not yet officially confirmed. The Times of India (4 October 2026) and Mathrubhumi (3 October 2026) report that the Centre has agreed to give a grant of up to ₹900 per smart meter for KSEB's own CAPEX model, after earlier refusing it. Mathrubhumi says the Union Power Secretary announced it at a utilities meeting in Kochi. Manorama News reported the same ₹900 figure on 28 September 2026. None of the three reports cites or links a Ministry of Power order.

According to The Times of India, KSEB has sanctioned ₹3,260 crore for Phase 2 to cover 35 lakh consumers, extendable to 50 lakh. The Times of India lists prosumers (homes with rooftop solar), homes using more than 150 units a month, monthly-billed consumers, those who opt in and most new connections. The Hindu reported the same list in March 2026, citing a KSEB order of 6 February 2026, and says BPL and farm connections are left out.

The Hindu wrote in February 2026 that KSEB aims to finish Phase 2 by May 2028. Manorama News reported in September 2026 that fitting can start only in February or March next year. Reporter TV says the KSEB board has sent the Phase 2 tender decision to the State Government, with tender validity ending on 11 November. Kerala Kaumudi reports that net meters will be replaced when smart meters are installed.

What is officially confirmed about the KSEB smart meter rollout

A smart meter records your use and sends it to KSEB over a communication network. The central consumer rules say it must be read remotely at least once a day, with your data shared by website, app or SMS (rule 5(5), amended June 2023). Since 1 April 2026, CEA metering rules say consumers in areas with a network shall get smart meters to the Indian Standard, on Central Government timelines (Regulation 4(1)(b)).

Phase 1, already under way, does not include ordinary homes. KSERC's order of 23 February 2026 says it covers about 3 lakh smart meters for government consumers, HT consumers and KSEB's feeder and transformer meters, at an approved ₹195.30 crore. The same day, the Electricity Minister told the Assembly that government offices and all 11 kV and 22 kV feeders already had smart meters, with Phase 1 due by August 2026.

For homes, the official record is shorter than the news. KSERC's order notes that G.O.(Ms) No. 2/2026/Power, dated 5 January 2026, approved smart prepaid metering in KSEB's own CAPEX mode for 50 lakh consumers in phases, at about ₹3,258 crore. KSERC directed KSEB to file a separate Phase 2 petition with an investment plan and project report, and will approve billing, deposit and rent for those consumers separately.

The ₹900 figure itself is the national cap. KSERC's order quotes the central RDSS scheme: a grant of up to 15% of the cost of a prepaid smart meter, subject to a maximum of ₹900 per meter. In February 2026, the Minister's Assembly answer said this grant is given only under the TOTEX model the Centre proposed, and that KSEB had asked for it under its own alternative model as well.

Will you pay for the new meter, and will it be prepaid?

No order yet fixes what a Kerala home will pay for a smart meter. For government consumers, KSEB asked for a new smart meter rent and a deposit close to the meter cost. KSERC did not approve that rent; KSEB keeps collecting the meter rent from the tariff order of 5 December 2024 until further orders.

What KSEB proposed for government smart meters in February 2026 (KSERC approved the deposit method for government LT consumers, but not this rent):

Meter typeMeter cost stated by KSEBDeposit proposedRent proposed per month
Single-phase smart meter₹3,107.50₹3,100₹31
Three-phase smart meter₹4,000₹4,000₹36
LT-CT smart meter₹4,700₹4,700₹47

You may buy your own meter instead. KSERC's order says consumers can buy meters, including smart prepaid meters, to the CEA specifications, that KSEB must make room for them, and that such consumers pay no meter security deposit or meter rent. The Supply Code says KSEB then tests, installs and seals the meter, and must do so within fifteen days for an LT meter (Regulations 105(3) and 113(5)).

On prepaid, two official points matter. The CEA rule amended on 1 April 2026 says every smart metering system must include a prepayment function (Regulation 4(1)(b)). In Kerala, the only prepaid billing procedure KSERC has approved so far applies to government consumers on LT supply. That procedure uses daily balance updates and top-ups through the KSEB Smart+ app. Billing for other consumers needs a separate KSEB petition and KSERC approval.

How time-of-day billing works once a smart meter is fitted

The central consumer rules say a time-of-day (ToD) tariff takes effect immediately after a smart meter is installed (rule 8A). For homes, the peak-hour rate must be at least 1.10 times the normal tariff, and the solar-hour rate at least 20% below it. ToD applies only to the energy charge, and peak hours cannot be longer than the solar hours, which the State Commission fixes as eight hours a day.

The actual Kerala ToD rates and time bands are set by KSERC through its tariff orders, not by the central rule. The ToD rows that apply to higher-use homes today are on our guide to KSEB tariff slabs and domestic rates.

What happens to your solar net meter with a smart meter

For rooftop solar, plants below 100 kW installed on or after 1 April 2027 must use a smart meter at the point where they connect to the grid, and a consumer who has a smart meter does not need a separate net meter (Regulation 15.3). The clause sets no replacement date for net meters at plants installed before then. Today's net meter classes and rent are on our page on Kerala net meter rules and rent.

Your meter also decides the time bands. Where smart, ABT or ToD meters programmed for these bands are fitted, solar hours run from 8 am to 6 pm and peak hours from 6 pm to 11:30 pm. Otherwise solar hours run from 6 am to 6 pm and peak hours from 6 pm to 10 pm (Regulations 3(70) and 3(91)). How those windows feed your monthly offset is explained in solar banking and solar hours in Kerala.

One more bill line can start with the smart meter. The regulations say reactive energy accounting and billing for solar homes without ABT meters begins from the date a smart meter is installed, at 25 paise per kVArh (Regulations 39.3 and 39.4). See how such lines sit on the bill in KSEB solar bill explained.

How to check that the meter fitter is genuine and keep the meter safe

  • KSEB staff entering your premises must wear a visible name tag, show proof of identity or authorisation, and state why they have come (Regulation 173(2)).
  • They must show the job sheet or work order before entering (Regulation 173(3)).
  • Only a KSEB employee or a person KSEB has authorised may handle or remove the meter (Regulation 21(2)).
  • You or your representative witness the sealing of the meter and sign the sealing certificate (Regulation 104(7)).
  • If you notice a broken seal, tell KSEB in writing at once; KSEB must replace it within three days (Regulation 104(9)).
  • Tampering with the meter or its seals with dishonest intention is dealt with under Section 135 of the Electricity Act (Regulation 22).

Before anyone works on the meter, call your section office and ask whether a meter change is scheduled for your connection. Do not pay cash at the door, and pay only against a KSEB demand note or bill. Never open the meter box or try to reset a smart meter yourself.

What to do if your bill looks wrong after the meter change

  • Apply for a meter test in the Annexure 15 format with the fee; KSEB must inspect within five working days (Regulation 116).
  • If readings do not match your use, KSEB must fit an additional meter within five days for at least three months, and test within thirty days of your complaint (rule 5(7), amended February 2024).
  • KSEB must give three days' notice of the test, and you sign and get a copy of the report (Regulation 115).
  • If you dispute the result, the meter is tested at a NABL-accredited laboratory you choose (Regulation 115).
  • A faulty meter means bill revision for at most six months or from the last test, whichever is shorter, adjusted over the next two bills (Regulation 115).

A smart meter also records your maximum demand. KSEB cannot impose a penalty based on maximum demand for any period before the smart meter was installed. If your recorded demand goes above your sanctioned load in a month, that month is billed on the actual demand and you must be told by SMS or app. Your sanctioned load is raised only if this happens at least three times in a financial year (rule 5(5A) and 5(5B)).

Before you complain, photograph the new meter display and compare it with old bills. If you have rooftop solar, read the import and export registers separately using our guide on how to read your net meter display, so an export reading is not mistaken for use.

What this means for you now

  • Photograph your current meter display and keep your recent bills in one folder.
  • Treat forwards about compulsory prepaid meters or new charges with caution until KSEB or KSERC publishes an order.
  • Keep your copy of the sealing certificate after any meter change.
  • If you have rooftop solar, keep your plant's commissioning papers and ask KSEB which meter your connection will use.
  • If you are still waiting for a net meter, follow the steps for net metering in Kerala rather than waiting for the second phase.

The official notice for the second-phase coverage list, the central grant approval for Kerala and a billing procedure for homes is not yet available on the KSEB or KSERC websites or from the Ministry of Power. This page will be updated when KSEB or KSERC publishes it.

Check this against your bill

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Frequently Asked Questions

Will KSEB charge me for a smart meter?

No rent or deposit for homes has been approved yet. KSERC will set smart meter rent when it approves billing for all consumers. Until then, government offices with smart prepaid meters pay the meter rent from the December 2024 tariff order.

Is the new smart meter prepaid in Kerala?

Prepaid billing is approved in Kerala only for government consumers on LT supply. For homes, KSEB has to file a separate petition and KSERC has to approve the billing method first.

Can I buy my own smart meter instead of renting one?

Yes, if it meets the CEA specifications. KSERC says KSEB must allow it and that you then pay no meter deposit or meter rent. KSEB still tests, installs and seals it.

What happens to my solar net meter when smart meters arrive?

Under KSERC's 2025 renewable energy rules, a consumer who already has a smart meter does not need a separate net meter. The smart meter requirement itself applies to plants below 100 kW installed from 1 April 2027. For a delay with your current net meter, see what to do while you wait for a net meter.

How can I tell if the person changing my meter is from KSEB?

Ask to see their badge, ID card and the written work order for your connection. The Supply Code makes all three compulsory. If something does not add up, phone your section office first.

What should I do if my electricity bill jumps after a smart meter is installed?

Complain to KSEB that the readings are higher than your actual use. KSEB then has to put a second meter alongside yours to compare, and test the original meter within a month.

Official Sources and Accuracy Note

Accuracy note: This guide is built from government pages, regulator orders, and news sources on the web. Rules and amounts change. Some details may be outdated or wrong. Check the official links below before you pay, apply, or complain to KSEB.