Checked 22 Oct 2026
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How much does a new TNEB connection cost?
A new single-phase home connection on an overhead line costs ₹5,575 in TNPDCL charges from 1 July 2025, and ₹1,155 of that is deposits you get back. On an underground cable it is ₹10,215. A 5 kW three-phase home pays ₹20,145. There is no GST.
Work out yours
Single phase goes up to 4 kW. Add up the watts of everything you will connect and divide by 1,000. "No consent" means a tenant without the owner's consent.
TNPDCL charges for the connection
₹5,575
- Registration cum processing₹220Paid with the application. Not refunded.
- Service connection charge₹1,105Single phase.
- Development charge₹3,095One flat amount for a single-phase home on an overhead line.
- Security deposit₹330Refundable, with interest.
- Meter caution deposit₹825Refundable, with interest, when the connection is closed.
₹1,155 of this is deposits you get back when the connection is closed. The wire from your meter to the pole is extra, and you buy it.
Rates from TNERC Order No. 7 of 2025, 30 Jun 2025. Matched to TNPDCL application charges calculator on 22 Oct 2026.
In short
- A new single-phase TNEB home connection on an overhead line costs ₹5,575 from 1 July 2025: ₹220 registration, ₹1,105 service connection, ₹3,095 development charge, ₹330 security deposit and ₹825 meter deposit.
- On an underground cable the same home pays ₹10,215, because the development charge rises to ₹7,735.
- Three phase, required above 4 kW and optional below it, costs ₹13,725 for 3 kW and ₹20,145 for 5 kW on an overhead line.
- The security and meter deposits come back with interest when the connection is closed, less any dues; the other charges do not. If you back out after paying, only the meter deposit comes back. TNPDCL adds no GST.
- TNPDCL must connect you within 7 days if no new line is needed (60 or 90 days if it is), or pay ₹200 a day for the delay, up to ₹2,000.
What common connections cost
Every figure here is what TNPDCL's own calculator showed on 22 Oct 2026, worked from TNERC Order 7 of 2025.
| Connection | Charges | Deposits back | You pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home, 2 kW, single phase, overhead | ₹4,420 | ₹1,155 | ₹5,575 |
| Home, 2 kW, single phase, underground | ₹9,060 | ₹1,155 | ₹10,215 |
| Home, 3 kW, three phase, overhead | ₹8,525 | ₹5,200 | ₹13,725 |
| Home, 5 kW, three phase, overhead | ₹12,955 | ₹7,190 | ₹20,145 |
| Home, 5 kW, three phase, underground | ₹29,505 | ₹7,190 | ₹36,695 |
| Shop, 2 kW, single phase, overhead | ₹5,755 | ₹1,155 | ₹6,910 |
| Home, 2 kW, tenant without owner's consent | ₹4,420 | ₹1,485 | ₹5,905 |
On 22 October 2026 Google's AI answer put a three-phase home at ₹5,000 to ₹10,750. By TNPDCL's own calculator, even 3 kW costs ₹13,725, and 5 kW ₹20,145. The same answer mixes in the 2024-25 registration fee of ₹215.
What each charge is
The order also lists higher meter deposits for whole-current smart meters (₹4,305 single phase, ₹6,520 three phase); TNPDCL's calculator used the standard meter. One cost is not in any of these: since September 2023 you supply the service wire or cable from your meter to the nearest pole or pillar box yourself. Ask the electrician who wires the house to include it.
TNERC Order No. 7 of 2025, 30 Jun 2025, Tables 1, 11, 18, 20, 22 and 24 (pages 3 to 12); TN Electricity Distribution Code, as amended to 31 Mar 2024, regulations 45(2), 46, 47 and 49; interest: TNERC Order No. 3 of 2026, 6 Apr 2026, as reported by EQ Mag.
Single phase or three phase
The Distribution Code gives single phase for a connected load of up to 4,000 watts and three phase above that. Add up the watts on the labels of everything you will connect. A 1.5-tonne AC is about 1,500 to 2,000 watts, a geyser 2,000, an induction stove 1,500 to 2,000. Two ACs and a geyser already pass 4,000.
Below 4,000 watts you may still choose three phase. It costs more up front (₹13,725 for 3 kW against ₹5,575 single phase), and if you switch later, the development charge is only the difference over what you paid for single phase.
TN Electricity Distribution Code, as amended to 31 Mar 2024, regulations 26(1)(a) to (c) and 47 note (3).
How to apply
- Get the documents ready. A recent photo, a government identity card, and one proof of ownership: sale deed, partition deed, gift settlement, allotment letter, computer patta, a government ownership certificate, a court judgment or a recent property tax receipt. Joint owners add consent letters from the others, or an indemnity bond with a higher deposit. If you owe dues on another connection in your name, TNPDCL can refuse until they are paid.
- Apply online on TNPDCL's application portal (app1.tangedco.org/nsconline), Apply, then New Service Connection, and pay the ₹220 registration.
- Pay the demand notice within 15 days. TNPDCL sends a notice of the charges; the days you take to pay do not count against its time limit.
- Finish the wiring and tell the engineer. Use TNPDCL's test report form, free at the section office. An engineer inspects and tests the wiring before connecting, and you get a copy of the report. Have the service wire to the pole ready.
- Take the supply within a month of TNPDCL telling you it is ready. One more month is allowed if you pay the monthly minimum. After that the application lapses and only the meter deposit comes back.
TNPDCL application portal, documents required; TN Electricity Distribution Code, as amended to 31 Mar 2024, regulations 31(1) to 31(3) and the note to the Appendix III application form; TNERC Distribution Standards of Performance Regulations, as amended to 31 Mar 2024, regulation 4.
If you are a tenant
With the owner's consent letter in Form 5, a tenant applies like an owner and pays the same. If the owner is away or refuses, you can still apply: show proof that you live there (a registered power of attorney, a rent receipt from before the application, a lease deed, a possession order or a court decree), sign an indemnity bond in Form 6, and pay double the usual security deposit. For a 2 kW single-phase home that is ₹5,905 instead of ₹5,575.
TN Electricity Distribution Code, as amended to 31 Mar 2024, regulation 27(4).
How long it takes
| Work needed | Time limit |
|---|---|
| None, the line is already there | Preferably 3 days, at most 7 |
| Line extension, no new transformer | 60 days |
| New transformer | 90 days |
The days you take to pay the demand notice, fix defects TNPDCL points out or produce documents do not count. If TNPDCL is late, the rules give you ₹200 a day, up to ₹2,000, credited to your next bills; if it is not, claim it from the designated officer or on TNPDCL's portal.
TNERC Distribution Standards of Performance Regulations, as amended to 31 Mar 2024, regulations 4, 21 and 22.
What changed in 2026
- Self-declaration for simple home connections. In August 2026 the Energy Minister told the Assembly that single-phase home connections needing no line work will be sanctioned on the applicant's self-declaration, without a field inspection. We have not seen an order or a start date yet (DT Next, 22 Aug 2026).
- Houses on poramboke land. A September 2026 government order allows home connections for houses up to 250 sq ft on poramboke land without a no-objection certificate, except on water bodies, grazing land, forest, railway, military and temple land. The applicant signs the Form 6 bond and an undertaking, and the security deposit is doubled (News Today, 17 Sep 2026).
What people report
"We were charged the underground rate, but our street has overhead lines."
The biggest complaint of 2024. In the Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore and Tiruchy circles, new applicants in overhead areas were billed the cable rate, about 2.5 times higher. The board blamed its software. After TNERC stepped in, it now collects the overhead rate first and the rest only after a site inspection shows a cable network. If your street has poles and you were charged ₹7,735 for single phase, ask the section office to recheck.
"The total was higher than the online calculator."
The calculator covers a plain connection. If your house needs a line extension or a new pole, TNPDCL adds an estimate for that work after inspection. Ask for it in writing, line by line.
"Someone asked for money to speed it up."
Still reported: vigilance officers arrested engineers in Tambaram in September 2026 and near Chengalpattu in October 2026 over bribes for new connections. Every legitimate charge is on the demand notice and can be paid online. The time limits above are what TNPDCL owes you.
Composites of news reports and consumer complaints from 2019 to 2026, summarised in our words. We have not named anyone. Sources: DT Next, 2 Apr 2024, DT Next, 12 May 2024, DT Next, 2 Sep 2026, DT Next, 13 Oct 2026.
Questions people ask
How much does a new TNEB connection cost?
For a home on a single-phase overhead line, ₹5,575 in all from 1 July 2025: ₹220 registration, ₹1,105 service connection charge, ₹3,095 development charge, and ₹1,155 in deposits that come back. A 5 kW three-phase home pays ₹20,145. TNPDCL's own calculator gives the same figures and adds no GST.
What are the charges for a new 3 phase connection in Tamil Nadu?
For a home: ₹220 registration, ₹1,660 service connection, ₹2,215 a kW development charge on an overhead line (₹5,525 a kW underground), ₹995 a kW security deposit and ₹2,215 meter deposit. That is ₹13,725 for 3 kW and ₹20,145 for 5 kW on an overhead line.
Do I need single phase or three phase?
Single phase is for a connected load of up to 4,000 watts; above that, TNPDCL supplies three phase. Add up the wattage of everything you will run. Homes with two or more ACs, an induction stove and a water heater usually cross 4,000 watts.
Is the new connection deposit refundable?
The security deposit and the meter caution deposit are. Both earn interest, at 5.76% a year for 2026-27, and come back when the connection is closed, after any unpaid dues are taken from the security deposit. If you back out after paying, or let the application lapse, only the meter caution deposit comes back. The registration, service connection and development charges are not refunded.
Can a tenant get a new EB connection?
Yes. With the owner's consent in Form 5, a tenant pays the normal charges. Without it, the tenant shows proof of occupation (a registered power of attorney, a recent rent receipt, a lease deed, a possession order or a court decree), signs an indemnity bond in Form 6, and pays a double security deposit.
How long does TNPDCL take to give a new connection?
Preferably 3 days and not more than 7 when no new line is needed; 60 days if a line has to be extended; 90 days if a new transformer is needed. The clock pauses while you pay the demand notice, which you must do within 15 days. For a delay beyond these limits, TNERC's rules give you ₹200 a day, up to ₹2,000.
Is there GST on TNEB new connection charges?
TNPDCL's own charges calculator showed GST at nil on 22 October 2026. Tax news sites report it stopped charging GST on new connections and other service charges from October 2024.
Sources
- TNERC Order No. 7 of 2025, 30 Jun 2025. Charges from 1 July 2025: Tables 1, 11, 18, 20, 22 and 24.
- TNPDCL application charges calculator, run for 8 connections on 22 Oct 2026.
- TN Electricity Distribution Code, as amended to 31 Mar 2024. Single phase up to 4,000 W (reg 26(1)); tenants (reg 27(4)); inspection and taking supply (reg 31); service wire by consumer (reg 45(2)); meter deposit (reg 46); development charges (reg 47).
- TNERC Distribution Standards of Performance Regulations, as amended to 31 Mar 2024. Time limits (reg 4) and compensation (regs 21 and 22).
- TNERC Order No. 3 of 2026, 6 Apr 2026, as reported by EQ Mag. Interest of 5.76% a year on security and meter caution deposits for 2026-27.
- TNPDCL application portal, documents required, read 22 Oct 2026.
- News: DT Next, 2 Apr 2024, DT Next, 12 May 2024, DT Next, 22 Aug 2026, News Today, 17 Sep 2026, DT Next, 13 Oct 2026.
- TNERC tariff orders list, checked 22 Oct 2026.
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