- Karnataka has five DISCOMs: BESCOM, HESCOM, MESCOM, CESC and GESCOM.
- PM Surya Ghar empanelment is per-DISCOM — BESCOM approval does not cover HESCOM.
- Each DISCOM runs an SRTPV portal for feasibility and net metering (verify the URL).
- The central subsidy (₹78,000 cap at 3 kW+) applies; any state top-up — verify with KREDL.
- All portal URLs, vendor counts and timelines below are estimates — verify with the DISCOM.
PM Surya Ghar Karnataka empanelment is not one approval — it is up to five. Karnataka is split across five distribution companies, and your empanelment, SRTPV portal and net-metering process all depend on which DISCOM area the home sits in. This guide is written for the EPC owner, not the homeowner.
Karnataka at a glance for solar EPCs
Karnataka is one of India's strongest solar states, with high irradiance across the north and a large, paying residential base around Bengaluru. For a PM Surya Ghar EPC, the key fact is the DISCOM split: where the rooftop sits decides which company you deal with, which SRTPV portal you use, and which empanelment you need. The central scheme rules are the same everywhere, but the ground process is local.
The national rules do not change by state. The central subsidy is ₹30,000 per kW for the first 2 kW plus ₹18,000 for the third kW, which caps at ₹78,000 for a 3 kW or larger home system. The subsidy is paid to the customer by direct bank transfer (DBT) after the system is commissioned and the net meter is set. Karnataka does not change those numbers; it runs the local feasibility, metering and inspection steps.
The five Karnataka DISCOMs and what they cover
Karnataka has five DISCOMs, each serving a region. You empanel with the ones whose areas you actually serve. Treat every portal URL and detail below as an estimate and confirm it on the DISCOM's own site before you apply.
Areas and portals are estimates — verify with each DISCOM and KREDL.
BESCOM is the busiest queue
BESCOM covers Bengaluru and nearby districts and carries the most demand. That means the most consumer applications, but also the busiest empanelment queue and the most competition for vendor slots. If most of your work is in the city, BESCOM is your first empanelment.
How BESCOM/HESCOM empanelment works
Empanelment is a two-layer process: you register your firm nationally, then you empanel with each Karnataka DISCOM whose area you serve. Because empanelment is per-DISCOM and not portable, a firm working in both Bengaluru and Hubballi empanels with BESCOM and HESCOM separately.
Register on the National Portal
List your firm on pmsuryaghar.gov.in with PAN, GST, contractor licence, at least three trained technicians and your Performance Bank Guarantee. Pick Karnataka as an operating state.
Empanel with the specific DISCOM
Empanelment is per-DISCOM. Apply separately to BESCOM, HESCOM, MESCOM, CESC or GESCOM for the areas you serve. Each runs its own SRTPV portal and vendor list — verify the current URLs.
Submit the PBG and area selection
Provide the ₹2.5 lakh per-state PBG (or the ₹25 lakh all-India PBG via REC Limited) and select only the DISCOM areas where you can send a crew.
Get listed and take consumer jobs
Once approved, you appear in the consumer vendor search for those areas. A homeowner applies, picks a vendor, and the SRTPV feasibility and net-metering process begins.
The document set and the Performance Bank Guarantee are the same as the national rules. You need PAN, GST, an electrical contractor licence valid in Karnataka, a cancelled cheque, at least three Suryamitra or SCGJ-trained technicians, and the PBG. Our vendor registration guide covers the full checklist, and the empanelment-by-state guide explains why none of it carries across a border.
The SRTPV portal and net metering in Karnataka
SRTPV — Solar Rooftop PhotoVoltaic — is the system Karnataka DISCOMs use to run feasibility, agreement and net metering. After a homeowner picks you on the National Portal, the local SRTPV flow handles the technical and metering steps. Each DISCOM has its own SRTPV portal, so confirm the current URL for the area you are working in.
The net-metering steps
The flow is broadly the same across the DISCOMs: apply for feasibility, get a sanction, sign the net-metering agreement, install the system, then apply for the net meter and joint inspection. The DISCOM sets the net meter and issues the commissioning certificate, which unlocks the subsidy claim. Our net-metering process guide walks the full sequence that applies in every state.
Coastal and high-shade sites need care
In the MESCOM coastal belt, salt, humidity and tree shading can change the design. Plan the array layout and string sizing for the real roof, not a template, so the feasibility and inspection pass on the first try.
Feasibility, sanctioned load and deemed approval
Most home systems sit inside the customer's sanctioned load and clear feasibility easily. Under the Electricity (Rights of Consumers) Rules 2020, rooftop systems up to 10 kW have deemed feasibility — the DISCOM should not block them on technical grounds. Larger systems need a feasibility study and may need a load enhancement first.
If the proposed system is larger than the sanctioned load, get the load enhanced before you apply for net metering. Doing it in the wrong order is a common cause of a stalled file. Confirm the current sanctioned-load and net-metering caps with the specific Karnataka DISCOM, because these details vary and change.
Subsidy and any Karnataka state top-up
The central PM Surya Ghar subsidy applies in Karnataka exactly as it does nationally: ₹78,000 for a 3 kW or larger home system, calculated on the MNRE benchmark cost and paid to the customer by DBT. For RWAs and group housing, the scheme allows ₹18,000 per kW for common facilities up to 500 kW.
Some states add a top-up on the central subsidy or a housing-society add-on. Whether Karnataka has a current top-up changes often and is easy to overstate in a quote. Do not promise a state add-on you have not confirmed. Verify any current Karnataka top-up or housing-society add-on with KREDL and your DISCOM before you put a number in front of a customer. See the subsidy amount and cap guide for how the central slabs work.
Karnataka market context for EPCs
Karnataka has a deep solar supply chain and an installed C&I base, so component sourcing and skilled labour are easier here than in many states. The flip side is competition: Bengaluru in particular has many local installers, so margin discipline and clean delivery matter more than the lowest price. Estimated demand for these searches is moderate, in the low hundreds to a thousand a month, but it is an estimate.
The compliance rules still bite. Modules must be on the ALMM List, and from 1 June 2026 the cells must be on ALMM List-II for PM Surya Ghar jobs. A non-ALMM or non-DCR mismatch is a flat subsidy rejection. Lock your sourcing to compliant stock — our ALMM List-II and DCR guide covers the cell deadline in detail.
Disbursement experience on the ground
The subsidy is paid to the customer, not to you, so your cash flow depends on getting the file clean and the DBT released. In theory the payout lands 15 to 30 days after the commissioning certificate; in practice EPCs across states report 30 to 90 days or more, and these are field estimates, not promises.
The single biggest delay cause is a name mismatch across the Aadhaar, electricity bill and bank account — the NPCI check is strict. Get those three names identical before you submit. Then track the claim to release: our subsidy claim tracking guide shows how to chase a stuck DBT without losing the thread.
How SuryaHub helps Karnataka EPCs
Running five DISCOMs by hand is where things slip. SuryaHub keeps each Karnataka DISCOM login, SRTPV step, document set and PBG renewal date in one place, and runs every job from lead through DISCOM and net-metering steps to subsidy-claim tracking. Nothing that gates the DBT or your rating slips through. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; the real pilots are Suryantra Energy and RGESPL, and the figures here are scheme facts, not guarantees.
Track every Karnataka DISCOM in one place
See how SuryaHub runs BESCOM, HESCOM and the rest from lead to subsidy claim.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
How do I empanel for PM Surya Ghar in Karnataka?+
To empanel for PM Surya Ghar in Karnataka, register your firm on the National Portal, then empanel with the specific DISCOM — BESCOM, HESCOM, MESCOM, CESC or GESCOM — for your area. Empanelment is per-DISCOM and not portable. Verify the current SRTPV portal and process with that DISCOM.
What is the SRTPV portal in Karnataka?+
SRTPV stands for Solar Rooftop PhotoVoltaic, the online system Karnataka DISCOMs use for feasibility, agreement and net-metering of rooftop solar. Each DISCOM runs its own SRTPV portal alongside the PM Surya Ghar National Portal. Verify the current SRTPV URL and process with your DISCOM.
Does Karnataka add a state top-up to the PM Surya Ghar subsidy?+
The PM Surya Ghar central subsidy applies in Karnataka — about ₹78,000 for a 3 kW or larger home system. Any Karnataka state top-up or housing-society add-on changes often and is easy to overstate. Verify the current top-up, if any, with KREDL and your DISCOM before quoting a customer.
Is BESCOM empanelment valid for HESCOM in Karnataka?+
No. BESCOM empanelment is not valid for HESCOM. PM Surya Ghar empanelment is per-DISCOM and not portable, even within Karnataka. An EPC working across Bengaluru and Hubballi must empanel with both BESCOM and HESCOM separately and serve each area's SRTPV process.
How long does PM Surya Ghar subsidy take in Karnataka?+
The PM Surya Ghar subsidy in Karnataka is paid to the customer by direct bank transfer after commissioning and net-meter installation. The scheme target is around 15 to 30 days, but field experience is often 30 to 90 days or more. Treat any timeline as an estimate and verify with your DISCOM.
How does SuryaHub help PM Surya Ghar EPCs in Karnataka?+
SuryaHub keeps each Karnataka DISCOM login, SRTPV step, document set and PBG in one place, and runs every job from lead to subsidy claim so nothing that gates the DBT is missed. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; real pilots are Suryantra Energy and RGESPL.
Sources & references
Karnataka DISCOM details, SRTPV portals, vendor counts and any state top-up change often. The figures here are estimates — always confirm the current process with the DISCOM, KREDL and the National Portal before you apply or quote.
- BESCOM ↗
Bengaluru DISCOM — SRTPV applications, feasibility and net-metering rules in its area.
- National Portal for PM Surya Ghar ↗
Vendor registration, the consumer application flow and subsidy DBT.
- Ministry of New & Renewable Energy (MNRE) ↗
Scheme guidelines, subsidy slabs and the ALMM/PBG rules.
Written by the SuryaHub team · reviewed against BESCOM, MNRE & National Portal sources · updated 19 June 2026.
Method: State steps, DISCOM names and SRTPV details are taken from the government sources above and re-checked every 30 days. All Karnataka portal URLs, vendor counts, top-ups and timelines are estimates — verify with the DISCOM and KREDL. SuryaHub is pre-revenue; only Suryantra Energy and RGESPL are real pilots.
Change log: 19 Jun 2026 — first published.