East Bengaluru buyer answers

When does a new flat get a permanent BESCOM connection?

By , acre&key · Published · Updated

Direct answer: Permanent BESCOM supply is a separate service from temporary construction power. Temporary supply is surrendered before a permanent installation is arranged. After the permanent installation is serviced, BESCOM assigns an R.R. number painted on the meter board. Exact connection charges sit on the BESCOM subdivision demand letter, not on third-party tables.

Disclosure: acre&key’s advice is free to buyers; we are an authorised sales partner for some projects and may be paid by the developer.

Verify with your lawyer: Who applies for the permanent connection (promoter, association or allottee), who later holds the R.R. number, and how bulk versus individual meters work should be clear in the sale documents and society papers before you pay any "BESCOM" line on a cost sheet.

Power is the utility buyers notice on day one of possession. A brochure line that says "BESCOM connection" can mean a live temporary meter for the site, a permanent HT bulk feed to the building, or individual LT meters that are still on paper. Separate those before you treat electricity as "done".

How is temporary construction power different from permanent supply?

BESCOM's Conditions of Supply (the common Conditions of Supply of Electricity of Distribution Licensees in Karnataka, with amendments, hosted on bescom.co.in) treat temporary power as its own procedure. Chapter 12 covers arranging power on a temporary basis. Temporary installations are metered, get their own R.R. number while they run, and are billed at the temporary tariff in force.

For demolition and reconstruction of a building, the Conditions say the existing installation must be surrendered and the agreement terminated; meter and service mains are removed; only a fresh service is arranged for the reconstructed building as a new building. Temporary power from the old R.R. number is not arranged for construction in that case.

Consumer-facing BESCOM FAQ material (indexed at the utility FAQ page) also states that a temporary connection is to be surrendered before installation of a permanent connection. Temporary cannot simply be "converted" in place. Treat that as the working rule for apartment projects too: construction temporary ends; permanent service begins as a new arrangement.

So the practical buyer question is not "when does the temporary become permanent?" It is "has temporary been surrendered, and has permanent been applied for and serviced?"

What is an R.R. number?

Under the Conditions of Supply, R.R. No. or Revenue Register Number means the number assigned to the consumer's installation. Immediately after an installation is serviced, an R.R. number is assigned and painted on the meter board. The consumer must quote that number in later correspondence with the licensee.

BESCOM FAQ text distinguishes:

  • R.R. No., the power supply connection number on the meter board and on monthly bills
  • Account ID, a unique number printed on bills, used for portal registration and communication

Ask the promoter or association for the project (or flat) R.R. number and Account ID in writing near possession. Photograph the meter board after service.

How do buyers apply for a new permanent connection?

BESCOM routes new-connection requests through the online services described on its public FAQ page. The FAQ describes a flow in which the customer raises a New Connection request, accepts terms, fills mandatory fields and load, submits, then pays as per the breakdown shown and can download the submit form and demand letter.

The same FAQ says schedule-of-charges figures are indicative only; actual charges are as per the Demand Letter issued by the SDO. So this page doesn't repeat rupee rows. Treat any specific new-connection charge as unconfirmed until you see:

  • the subdivision demand letter for your application, or
  • a current official schedule PDF downloaded from a BESCOM host

HT/EHT and multi-connection / multi-storeyed-building paths may sit under a different service category than a simple LT domestic new connection. For apartment towers, the promoter often takes a bulk HT or LT supply first; individual flat meters (if any) follow later under association rules. Confirm the model in writing.

How does this link to OC and possession?

Occupancy certificate and physical possession are not the same as a permanent BESCOM service. Banks and lawyers often treat OC as a gate for loan and handover readiness (OC / CC importance), but utility service still depends on BESCOM process, sanctioned load, and who filed the application.

Ask, in writing, before you take keys:

  1. Is construction still on temporary supply?
  2. Has an application for permanent supply been filed? What is the request / application ID?
  3. Is supply bulk to the association, or will each flat get its own R.R. number?
  4. Which cost-sheet line is "BESCOM / electrical deposit / infrastructure", and is it a Board demand or a builder estimate?
  5. Who pays until the association takes over, and how is recovery from flats calculated?

If the building runs on temporary or DG-heavy supply after "possession", price that into living cost. A tower can look finished while its permanent utility service is still pending, so ask rather than assume.

Which documents and site facts does BESCOM look at?

Exact lists change with the online form. Expect some mix of:

  • Proof of ownership / occupation and ID
  • Sanctioned plan / building details and load applied for
  • Address and subdivision / accounting unit
  • Existing temporary connection ID if already availed (the online new-connection shell asks for temporary connection id if already availed on the premises)
  • Any indemnity or undertaking the Conditions require for the applicant type

If someone asks you to pay "BESCOM charges" into a personal UPI without a BESCOM demand letter, stop.

What order should I do things in?

  1. At booking: get the electrical-supply model in the cost sheet (temporary vs permanent; bulk vs individual).
  2. Before agreement: have your lawyer check promoter obligations on utilities (sale agreement review themes).
  3. Near OC / possession: ask for temporary surrender status and permanent application / R.R. evidence.
  4. After association forms: decide who holds meters, pays bulk bills, and applies for any pending permanent work.
  5. When a demand letter arrives: pay only through the official channel named on that letter; archive the PDF with your sale papers.

For other post-purchase cost lines beyond electricity, see hidden costs beyond the base price.

Frequently asked questions

Can temporary construction power be converted into permanent supply?

BESCOM FAQ material says temporary must be surrendered before permanent is installed; it is not a simple in-place conversion. Treat surrender-then-fresh-permanent as the working rule unless a current official circular says otherwise for your case.

When do I get an R.R. number?

After the installation is serviced. The Conditions of Supply require an R.R. number to be assigned and painted on the meter board immediately after servicing. Quote it on later BESCOM correspondence.

Who usually applies in an apartment project, me or the builder?

Often the promoter applies for bulk / project supply during construction and early handover; individual flat applications (if used) may follow under association rules. Confirm who the applicant is in writing before you pay any "BESCOM" amount on a cost sheet.

Are online schedule-of-charges tables final?

No. BESCOM FAQ text says those charges are indicative; actual payment follows the SDO demand letter. Don't rely on a rupee figure until you have that letter.

Does an OC guarantee permanent BESCOM supply?

No. OC is a building / occupancy gate. Permanent electricity still needs BESCOM service of the installation. See also OC / CC importance.

References

  1. BESCOM FAQ (New Connection steps; R.R. No. vs Account ID; schedule of charges = indicative, demand letter authoritative): https://www.bescom.co.in/bescom/main/faq, accessed 16 Oct 2026
  2. Conditions of Supply of Electricity of Distribution Licensees in Karnataka (BESCOM host PDF; R.R. definition; temporary supply chapter; demolition/reconstruction surrender): https://www.bescom.co.in/bescom/assets/pdfs/ConditionsofSupplyofElectricitywithIandIIAmendments.pdf, accessed 16 Oct 2026
  3. BESCOM Karnataka portal entry: https://bescom.karnataka.gov.in/, accessed 16 Oct 2026

This page explains public rules and processes. It isn't legal or tax advice. acre&key gives buyers advice for free. We are an authorised sales partner for some projects and may be paid by the developer.

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