Karnataka pays homes the central PM Surya Ghar subsidy and nothing extra, and its flat tariff and Gruha Jyothi free units change the maths more than in most states. This page covers what a home system earns you here, then the open access fees that matter to businesses.
At a glance
- Subsidy: ₹78,000 for 3 kW from the centre. Karnataka adds no top-up.
- Homes up to 10 kW can choose net metering or gross metering. Net metering almost always saves more.
- Each kW makes about 1,460 units a year, roughly 120 a month.
- If Gruha Jyothi already makes your bill zero, rooftop solar will save you very little.
Rooftop solar for homes in Karnataka
Who supplies your power
Five ESCOMs supply homes: BESCOM around Bengaluru, MESCOM around Mangaluru, CESC around Mysuru, HESCOM around Hubballi and GESCOM around Kalaburagi. You apply on the national PM Surya Ghar portal first, then on your ESCOM’s rooftop portal; for BESCOM that is srtpv.bescom.org.
Subsidy
You get the central subsidy only: ₹30,000 for 1 kW, ₹60,000 for 2 kW and ₹78,000 for 3 kW or more. Karnataka has no state top-up at present. See the full slabs in the PM Surya Ghar guide.
Net metering or gross metering
Homes from 1 to 10 kW can pick either. With net metering, the solar units you export are set against the units you import, so each one is worth your full tariff. With gross metering, every unit your panels make is sold to the ESCOM at a fixed rate and you pay your normal bill for everything you use.
| System commissioned 1 July 2025 to 30 June 2026 | Rate for exported units (fixed for 25 years) |
|---|---|
| No subsidy taken | ₹3.86 |
| With subsidy, up to 2 kW | ₹2.30 |
| With subsidy, 2 to 3 kW | ₹2.48 |
| With subsidy, above 3 kW | ₹2.93 |
Those rates are well below the roughly ₹6 to ₹6.70 you pay per unit, which is why gross metering rarely makes sense for a home that uses its own power.
What you pay per unit today
All five ESCOMs charge homes one flat energy rate: ₹5.80 a unit in 2026-27, plus a pension surcharge of about 35 paise and a fixed charge. From May 2026 BESCOM customers also pay a true-up of 56 paise a unit, so a Bengaluru home pays close to ₹6.70 a unit before fixed charges.
Gruha Jyothi and solar
Under Gruha Jyothi, homes using up to 200 units a month (within their usual average) pay nothing for energy. If that is you, solar has almost no bill to cut, which is one reason only about 10,700 Karnataka homes had installed under PM Surya Ghar by mid-2025 despite over 2 lakh applications. Solar pays off for homes above the Gruha Jyothi limit.
How much your roof makes
Using PVGIS data, a south-facing system in Karnataka makes about 1,459 units per kW a year, strongest from January to March and weakest in the monsoon. See month-by-month units for this state.
Worked example: a Bengaluru home using 350 units
The home is above the Gruha Jyothi limit, so it pays for every unit at about ₹6.70. A 3 kW system makes about 365 units a month, enough to cover its use.
| Net metering | Gross metering | |
|---|---|---|
| What the solar units are worth | About ₹6.70 each, set against your bill | ₹2.48 each, paid by BESCOM |
| Yearly saving | About ₹28,000 | About ₹10,900 |
| Payback on ₹1.52–1.62 lakh | About 5.5 years | About 14 years |
Same roof, same panels, very different result. Ask your installer to apply for net metering unless you have a clear reason not to.
Open access solar for businesses in Karnataka
Businesses with a contracted load of 100 kW or more can buy solar from a plant elsewhere in the state through open access. What decides the real price is the set of grid fees below.
| Fee | Value |
|---|---|
| Grid usage fee (wheeling) | ₹0.29/unit |
| Transmission fee | Not verified yet |
| Cross-subsidy fee (CSS) | ₹0.60/unit |
| Extra DISCOM fee (additional surcharge) | ₹0.40/unit |
| Other small fees (SLDC etc.) | Not verified yet |
| Power lost on the way | Not verified yet |
| Fee for saving power (banking) | 4% |
Use these fees in the calculator
Karnataka is one of the cheapest states for open access solar and grew installations 70% year on year in 2025, helped by low wheeling charges and new KERC regulations.
Banking and regulations
After the Karnataka High Court struck down the central GEOA Rules 2022, it directed that consumers get monthly banking subject to a 4% payment until new regulations apply. KERC has since issued its Terms and Conditions for Open Access Regulations 2025. The additional surcharge of ₹0.40/kWh applies from March 2026.
Transmission charges and loss percentages were not in our sources, so they are marked not verified. Take them from the current KERC order.
Frequently asked questions
Does Karnataka give a state subsidy for rooftop solar?
No. Karnataka homes get the central PM Surya Ghar subsidy only, up to ₹78,000 for 3 kW.
Is net metering allowed for homes in Karnataka?
Yes. Homes from 1 to 10 kW can choose net metering or gross metering. Net metering values your exported units at your own tariff, so it usually saves far more.
How much does BESCOM pay for solar units?
For home systems commissioned between July 2025 and June 2026, ₹3.86 a unit without subsidy and ₹2.30 to ₹2.93 with subsidy, fixed for 25 years. Newer systems may get lower rates.
Is solar worth it if I get free units under Gruha Jyothi?
Usually not. If Gruha Jyothi already covers your use, there is little bill left for solar to cut.