Prepaid meter recharge calculator, Karnataka
How many units does a recharge buy on a Karnataka prepaid smart meter? Work it out with today’s tariff and the prepaid rules, or find the recharge you need for your units.
- Rs 500 buys about 103 units
- Rebate: not confirmed
- Runs on your phone
Work out your recharge
Example for Karnataka
A home uses no units yet this month. Each recharge also pays the fixed charge for the month.
The first 53 units of the month cost nothing under the State scheme, as our calculator applies it. The recharge pays only for units above that, if the rule allows them.
| Recharge | Units | Average a unit |
|---|---|---|
| ₹200 | 70 | ₹2.84 |
| ₹500 | 103 | ₹4.83 |
| ₹1,000 | 169 | ₹5.90 |
For 200 units a month, the prepaid recharge is about ₹1,221. The post-paid bill is ₹1,221.
Today’s tariff for an urban home, single phase, 2 kW, with the prepaid rules above. Duty and fuel surcharge as the calculator includes them.
Prepaid rules in Karnataka
- Prepaid rebate
- We could not confirm a prepaid rebate. The official order did not open for us, so the calculator uses the normal tariff.
- Security deposit
“A distribution licensee shall not be entitled to require security in pursuance of clause (a) of sub-section (1) if the person requiring the supply is prepared to take the supply through a pre-payment meter.”
Electricity Act 2003, Section 47(5), as extracted verbatim in KSERC Order OP No. 12/2026 dated 23.02.2026, PDF p.11 (para 23)
How we work it out
- We price the month with today’s tariff for homes, from the calculator’s official rates.
- Then we apply the prepaid rules of the state order: a rebate, prepaid rates, and the time-of-day rates of smart meters.
- Units used earlier in the month decide the slab of the new units.
- Discoms take money each day, but the slabs count the whole month. Your daily balance can differ from our figures for the month.
Questions
How many units do I get for a Rs 500 recharge in Karnataka?
At today’s tariff, about 103 units, if it is the first recharge of the month and it also pays the fixed charge. Later in the month, the units depend on the slab you are in.
Is prepaid cheaper than post-paid?
We could not confirm a prepaid rebate. The official order did not open for us, so the calculator uses the normal tariff.
Why do I get fewer units late in the month?
The slabs count the units of the whole month. Units late in the month can fall in a higher slab, so each unit costs more.
Can I get a prepaid meter in Karnataka?
Smart meters belong to your discom, BESCOM and other ESCOMs. Ask BESCOM and other ESCOMs if prepaid meters are available for homes in your area. Its app or website shows the balance and the recharges.