Checked 23 Oct 2026
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What are TNEB late payment charges?
A surcharge of 1.5% a month on the unpaid bill, at least half a month's worth, and, if the supply is cut, a reconnection charge of ₹135. A ₹2,000 bill paid 10 days late costs ₹2,015, or ₹2,150 if the fuse was pulled. You pay neither if you pay by the date on your bill, which already includes the 15-day notice period.
Work out yours
Days after the date on your bill or SMS. For a shop, enter the bill before electricity tax.
Your supply
Extra for paying 10 days after the date on the bill
₹15
- Your bill₹2,000Unchanged.
- Late payment surcharge₹151.5% a month, charged for at least 15 days.
- Reconnection charge₹0Only if the supply was cut.
Paid by the date on the bill, it would have been ₹2,000. If the supply is cut before you pay, add the reconnection charge.
Rules from TN Electricity Supply Code, consolidated to 2009; charges from TNERC Suo-motu Order No. 7 of 2025, 30 Jun 2025, Table 12. Supply Code regulation 14(5) for when the reconnection charge applies.
In short
- The date on a TNEB bill is the last day to pay. The rules give at least 5 days to the due date, then 15 days' notice with no surcharge, and the last date on the SMS marks the end of that notice.
- After that date TNPDCL adds a surcharge of 1.5% a month on the unpaid bill, for at least 15 days, so at least 0.75%. It is not charged on electricity tax or on earlier surcharge.
- If the supply is cut, it stays off until you also pay the reconnection charge: ₹135 for most homes from 1 July 2025, or ₹330 or ₹550 when staff cannot reach your meter. On an ordinary bill it is more than the surcharge.
- Once the date has passed, TNPDCL can cut the supply without another notice. Paid, it must restore it within six working hours, or pay you ₹10 an hour, up to ₹500.
- A connection left cut for three months gets a notice; three months after that the agreement ends. Within two years of the cut, a home may be allowed to revive it by paying 40% of the arrears and the rest in ten monthly instalments.
When a bill becomes late
- Day 0, the reading. The SMS or email with the reading, the amount and the last date counts as your bill and your notice.
- Day 5 or later, the due date. The rules give homes and shops at least 5 days to pay.
- 15 more days, the notice period. No surcharge is added in this time. The SMS gives a "last date for payment": under the Code, the last day of the notice period is the last day to pay to avoid disconnection. If it falls on a holiday, it moves to the next working day.
- The day after that date. The surcharge starts, and the supply can be cut without further notice. TNPDCL is to tell you of a cut by SMS, with the date, the final reading and the reason.
- You pay. The supply must be back within six working hours.
TN Electricity Supply Code, consolidated to 2009, regulations 14(1)(a), 14(2), 14(3) and 14(5); TN Supply Code amendment, Notification TNERC/SC/7-48, 2 Sep 2023, regulations 8(5) and 22(1).
How the surcharge is worked out
TNPDCL calls it the belated payment surcharge (BPSC). For homes, shops and other low-tension connections it is 1.5% a month of the unpaid price of electricity. It is charged for at least 15 days, so even one day late adds 0.75%, and past 15 days it grows with each day. It is not charged on electricity tax, and it is not charged on surcharge already added, so it does not compound. Local bodies pay 0.5% a month.
| Bill | 1 day late | 30 days late | 60 days late |
|---|---|---|---|
| ₹1,000 | ₹8 | ₹15 | ₹30 |
| ₹2,000 | ₹15 | ₹30 | ₹60 |
| ₹5,000 | ₹38 | ₹75 | ₹150 |
| ₹10,000 | ₹75 | ₹150 | ₹300 |
If the supply was cut, add the reconnection charge, ₹135 for most homes.
Between 16 and 30 days late, the Code's wording since 2008 charges by the day: 1% at 20 days. The wording is muddled, though, and before 2008 it charged a full month for any delay over 15 days, so some offices may still add 1.5%.
TN Electricity Supply Code, consolidated to 2009, regulation 5(4)(ii), (iv), (x) and (xi). Figures worked out by BillDecoded, with the surcharge rounded to the rupee, as the 2014 complaint below shows.
The reconnection charge
TNERC sets it, and it rises each July with inflation. These are the rates from 1 July 2025 for homes, shops, offices, small industries and most other low-tension connections. We found no order for 2026-27 as of 23 Oct 2026; the 2022 order lets the charge rise each July up to 2026-27 by inflation, capped at 6%, so a slightly higher figure may already apply.
| Where the supply was cut | Charge |
|---|---|
| At the cut-out (fuse) by your meter | ₹135 |
| At the overhead line, when staff cannot reach the meter | ₹330 |
| At the underground cable, when staff cannot reach the meter | ₹550 |
| Farm connection, cut-out | ₹135 |
| Farm connection, overhead or underground | ₹665 |
Huts pay nothing. LTCT services pay ₹880 and high-tension services ₹5,525.
The Supply Code charges it for "the work of disconnection and reconnection", so it applies when your supply was actually cut. No order provides for it when the supply stayed on.
Check your bill for an "RC charge"
Some consumers who paid after the date, with no cut, say they found an "RC charge" on the next bill: in January 2024 a ₹61 bill paid 10 to 15 days late carried ₹145 in RC charges, which matches ₹123 plus 18% GST, consistent with the 2022 rate of ₹120 after one inflation rise. One commenter says the charge is added "automatically" once the date is missed. A 2014 complaint about one day late fits a fixed ₹60 plus half a month of surcharge. One report from January 2026 gives ₹193 in RC charges on a ₹58 bill, which we cannot explain from the order. If your supply was never cut and your bill shows an RC charge, ask the section office in writing to remove it, citing regulation 14(5), and use the complaint guide if it is not removed.
GST: since 10 October 2024, services that utilities provide to their consumers alongside supplying electricity, such as connections, meter rent and testing, carry no GST. Reconnection is not named, but TNPDCL's own charges calculator shows GST at nil on its service charges in October 2026. If an RC charge on your bill has GST added, ask the section office why.
TNERC Suo-motu Order No. 7 of 2025, 30 Jun 2025, Tables 12 and 13; TN Electricity Supply Code, consolidated to 2009, regulation 5(8); TNERC Order No. 10 of 2022, 9 Sep 2022, para 3.10; r/Chennai thread, Jan 2024 to Jan 2026; r/Chennai threads, Nov 2024; Consumer complaint, ConsumerComplaints.in, Jul 2014; Notification No. 08/2024-Central Tax (Rate), 8 Oct 2024, entry 25A; TNPDCL application charges calculator.
When TNPDCL can cut your supply
Only after the date on your bill has passed. The Electricity Act asks for 15 clear days' written notice before a cut, and in Tamil Nadu the notice period printed on your bill, or sent by SMS or email, is that notice. Once it ends, the Supply Code lets TNPDCL cut the supply "forthwith without further notice" and keep it off until everything due, and the reconnection charge, is paid.
- A disputed bill. The supply cannot be cut while you pay the amount claimed, or your average monthly bill over the last six months if that is less, under protest, and the dispute is pending. Put it in writing; the complaint guide has a letter.
- Another connection in your name. Unpaid dues on one connection can be added to your other connections, which can then be cut after notice with a working sheet showing the dues.
- Away from home. Under the national consumer rules, a home that tells TNPDCL in writing it will be away and pays the fixed charges in advance is not to be disconnected.
- Very old arrears. A sum cannot be recovered, or used to cut supply, more than two years after it first became due, unless it has been shown on your bills as arrears all along.
- Prepaid meters. A prepaid meter switches off when the credit runs out and back on when you recharge; that is not counted as a disconnection. People with smart meters report being cut and restored remotely.
Electricity Act, 2003, section 56 (56(1) and 56(2)); TN Electricity Supply Code, consolidated to 2009, regulation 14; TN Supply Code amendment, Notification TNERC/SC/7-48, 2 Sep 2023, regulations 8(5), 8(6) and 17(8); Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020, Gazette of India, 31 Dec 2020, rules 8(1) and 9(3).
Getting the supply back
- Pay the full amount due online or at the section office. The surcharge and reconnection charge are added for you.
- Check the payment shows on TNPDCL's bill status page. A payment made through an app can fail or be reversed without you noticing; screenshot the receipt.
- Call or visit your section office with the receipt, and ask for the time the lineman will come. Note the name and the time you called.
- Six working hours. That is the limit for restoring supply after payment. If it is late, complain in writing and claim ₹10 an hour, up to ₹500.
Do not refit a pulled fuse or switch the supply back on yourself. Reconnecting a supply that has been cut is an offence under the Electricity Act, and people who did it report being charged with theft. You owe only what is on the receipt; no one is entitled to a tip to refit a fuse.
TN Supply Code amendment, Notification TNERC/SC/7-48, 2 Sep 2023, regulation 22(1); TNERC Distribution Standards of Performance Regulations, as amended to 31 Mar 2024, regulations 12(VI) and 21; Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020, Gazette of India, 31 Dec 2020, rule 9(2); Electricity Act, 2003, section 138, 138(1)(b); TNPDCL online payment FAQ.
If it stays cut
| Time since the cut | What happens |
|---|---|
| 3 months | TNPDCL sends a notice: restore the supply within 3 months or the agreement ends. |
| 6 months | The agreement ends. Before supply is restored, your wiring is tested again and a new test report signed, at your cost. |
| Up to 2 years | TNPDCL may allow a home to revive the connection, if the line is still there, on paying 40% of the arrears with the surcharge, plus the security deposit adjusted at closure, and the other 60% in ten monthly instalments. |
| After 2 years | You apply as a new connection and pay all charges for one, plus the arrears with surcharge. |
When the agreement ends, the security deposit and its interest go first against the surcharge and then against other dues. A connection under disconnection cannot be transferred to a new name until the dues are paid.
TN Electricity Supply Code, consolidated to 2009, regulations 5(4)(ix), 5(7)(ii) explanation, 17(5), 22(2), 22(6) and 22(7); TN Supply Code amendment, Notification TNERC/SC/7-48, 2 Sep 2023, regulation 22(6)(ii).
Switching off on purpose
Moving out, renovating or demolishing? Ask the section office for a temporary disconnection: ₹1,105 for single phase and ₹1,660 for three phase, from 1 July 2025. For a permanent disconnection, apply for a final reading and bill; once it is paid, the supply is cut and the balance of your deposit refunded. A cheque that bounces costs ₹250.
TNERC Suo-motu Order No. 7 of 2025, 30 Jun 2025, Tables 14 and 16; Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020, Gazette of India, 31 Dec 2020, rule 9(1).
What people report
"There's an RC charge on my bill."
One person paid a small bill 10 to 15 days late and found a reconnection charge on the next bill, more than twice the bill itself. When they asked, the office called it the late payment charge. Others say it is added whether or not the fuse was pulled. The rules charge it only for cutting and restoring supply, so ask for it to be removed if yours was never cut.
"I paid the same day, and the fuse still wasn't returned."
A clinic owner paid online the day the lineman pulled the fuse, was told to bring proof of payment to the office, and saw the app complaint closed without action. A written grievance brought officials to the clinic to apologise within a month. Others paid online, phoned the section office and had power back within half an hour.
"The lineman wanted money to put the fuse back."
Reports range from ₹50 to ₹200. Every legitimate charge is on your receipt, and the six-hour limit is what TNPDCL owes you.
"My payment was reversed and I didn't know."
A household paid through a payments app; the money was returned the same day without a message. TNPDCL said the supply had then been cut and later found back on, and accused the household of theft. Check the bill status after paying, and keep the receipt.
"It's 1.5% plus ₹100."
Advice still circulating in 2026 puts the reconnection charge at ₹100. It has been ₹120 or more since 2022, and ₹135 since July 2025.
Composites of consumer posts and complaints from 2014 to 2026, summarised in our words. We have not named anyone. Sources: r/Chennai thread, Jan 2024 to Jan 2026, r/Chennai threads, Nov 2024, r/Chennai thread, Nov 2024, r/Chennai thread, Sep 2026, Consumer complaint, ConsumerComplaints.in, Jul 2014.
Questions people ask
What is the late payment charge for TNEB?
A surcharge of 1.5% a month on the unpaid bill, charged for at least 15 days, so at least 0.75%, from the day after the date on your bill. If the supply is cut, a reconnection charge too: ₹135 for most homes. A ₹2,000 bill paid 10 days late costs ₹15 more, or ₹150 more if the fuse was pulled.
Can I pay my TNEB bill online after the due date?
Yes, as long as the supply has not been cut. TNPDCL's payment site and the usual apps take it with the surcharge added. If the supply has been cut, pay online and then call or visit your section office to have it restored.
How many days after the due date will TNEB disconnect?
The date on your bill is the last day. Homes and shops get at least 5 days to the due date and then 15 days' notice, and the last date for payment on the SMS covers both. After that date the supply can be cut without another notice. One answer from September 2026 says the lineman usually comes 3 days to a week later.
What are TNEB reconnection charges?
From 1 July 2025, for a home or shop: ₹135 if the supply was cut at the fuse by your meter, ₹330 at the overhead line and ₹550 at the underground cable. The higher two apply only when staff could not reach your meter. TNERC Order 7 of 2025, Table 12.
How long does TNEB take to reconnect after payment?
Six working hours at most, under the 2023 Supply Code amendment and the national consumer rules. If TNPDCL is late, the standards of performance give you ₹10 for every hour, up to ₹500.
Is there a late fee if I pay within the notice period?
No. The Supply Code says no surcharge is charged on homes and other low-tension connections during the 15-day notice period. Because the date on your bill already includes that period, any payment by that date is on time.
Can TNEB cut my power if I dispute the bill?
Not if you pay under protest. The Electricity Act says supply cannot be cut while you pay the amount claimed, or your average monthly bill over the last six months if that is less, and the dispute is pending. Put the dispute in writing to the Assistant Engineer.
I will be away for months. Will TNEB cut my connection?
Tell TNPDCL in writing and pay in advance. The national consumer rules say a home that gives written notice of its absence and pays the fixed charges in advance is not to be sent notices or disconnected. Advance payment is also on TNPDCL's site: it is adjusted against each new bill.
Read next
- How to complain to TNEBIf the supply was cut wrongly or not restored in six hours, complain in writing.Read the post
- Why is my TNEB bill so high?If the bill you could not pay was higher than it should be.Read the post
- TNEB name transfer: documents, fee and daysDues must be cleared before a connection moves to a new name.Read the post
Sources
- TN Electricity Supply Code, consolidated to 2009. Surcharge 1.5% a month for LT (reg 5(4)(iv)), minimum 15 days and pro rata (5(4)(ii)(c)), not on tax or on surcharge (5(4)(x), (xi)); due date at least 5 days and 15 days' notice with no surcharge (14(1)(a)); cut after notice (14(3), (5)); reconnection charge (5(8)); 3 plus 3 months to termination (17(5)); retest after 6 months, 2 years to revive (22(2), 22(6)), then a new connection (22(7)).
- TN Supply Code amendment, Notification TNERC/SC/7-48, 2 Sep 2023. SMS or email counts as the bill and the notice; disconnection to be told by SMS (reg 8(5)); dues on one connection added to others (17(8)); restore within six working hours (22(1)); 40% and ten instalments (22(6)(ii)).
- TNERC Suo-motu Order No. 7 of 2025, 30 Jun 2025. Reconnection from 1 Jul 2025: ₹135 cut-out, ₹330 overhead, ₹550 underground for homes and most LT services; agriculture ₹135 or ₹665; huts nil; LTCT ₹880; HT ₹5,525 (Tables 12 and 13, page 7); temporary disconnection ₹1,105 or ₹1,660 (Table 14); dishonoured cheque ₹250 (Table 16).
- TNERC Distribution Standards of Performance Regulations, as amended to 31 Mar 2024. Restore a disconnected service within six working hours of payment (reg 12(VI), from 21 Feb 2024); ₹10 an hour of delay, up to ₹500 (reg 21, Table I, item 3).
- Electricity Act, 2003, section 56. Notice before a cut, payment under protest, and the two-year limit.
- Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules, 2020, Gazette of India, 31 Dec 2020. Reconnect within six working hours of payment (rule 9(2)); a home away from residence that pays fixed charges in advance is not disconnected (rule 8(1)); SMS or email with amount and due date (rule 6(5)).
- TNERC Order No. 10 of 2022, 9 Sep 2022. TANGEDCO asked for higher reconnection charges "in order to make prompt payment within due date" (para 3.10, page 43); 2022 rates ₹120, ₹300, ₹500.
- TNPDCL online payment FAQ, read 23 Oct 2026. TNPDCL application charges calculator, read 22 Oct 2026.
- Consumer reports: r/Chennai thread, Jan 2024 to Jan 2026, r/Chennai threads, Nov 2024, r/Chennai thread, Nov 2024, r/Chennai thread, Sep 2026, Consumer complaint, ConsumerComplaints.in, Jul 2014.
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