Quick Answer: Your TANGEDCO EB bill includes: energy charges (slab-based, ₹0-8/unit), fixed charges (₹30-50/month), fuel cost adjustment (variable), and meter rent. After solar with net metering, your bill shows net consumption only — most homes see bills drop to ₹100-500 (minimum charges).

Your TANGEDCO electricity bill contains over 20 fields of information — most of which most consumers never look at beyond the "Total Amount Due" at the bottom. But understanding your bill is essential for verifying accuracy, identifying overcharges, and understanding exactly how solar net metering affects your billing. Whether you receive a physical bill or check it online through the TANGEDCO portal, this guide explains every field, shows how charges are calculated, and teaches you how to spot common billing errors.

The TANGEDCO Bill Layout

A standard TANGEDCO domestic electricity bill is divided into several sections. Let us walk through each one.

Section 1: Consumer Information

Service Number (Consumer Number)

Your 11-digit TANGEDCO service number is the most important identifier on your bill. It is unique to your electricity connection and is required for all transactions — bill payment, complaints, net metering applications, and PM Surya Ghar registration.

Format: Typically follows a regional coding pattern (e.g., 069-xxx-xxxxx for certain Coimbatore sections)
Where to find it: Top-right of the printed bill, or on the meter card issued at the time of connection
Tip: Save this number in your phone — you will need it for online bill checks and payments

Consumer Name and Address

The registered name of the account holder. For solar net metering and PM Surya Ghar applications, this name must match your Aadhaar card. If there is a mismatch (e.g., initials expanded differently), get it corrected at the section office before applying for solar subsidies.

Tariff Code

This two-character code identifies your tariff category:

Code	Category	Description
LT2A	Domestic (Single Phase)	Residential consumers with single-phase supply
LT2B	Domestic (Three Phase)	Residential consumers with three-phase supply
LT3	Commercial	Shops, offices, hotels, hospitals
LT4	Industrial (LT)	Factories, workshops on LT supply
LT5	Industrial (LT)	Cottage and small-scale industries
LT6	Agricultural	Agricultural pump sets (free supply)
HT1	Industrial (HT)	High-tension industrial consumers
HT2	Commercial (HT)	High-tension commercial consumers

Your tariff code determines the rate at which you are billed. If you notice an incorrect tariff code — for example, your residential connection is billed as commercial (LT3) — this is a serious error that must be corrected immediately, as commercial rates are 2–3x higher than domestic rates.

Sanctioned Load / Contract Demand

Single phase: Typically 2–5 kW for domestic consumers
Three phase: 5–20 kW for domestic; higher for commercial/industrial
Relevance for solar: Your solar system capacity cannot exceed your sanctioned load under net metering rules. If your sanctioned load is 3 kW, TANGEDCO will not approve a 5 kW solar system unless you first enhance your load

Phase of Supply

Single phase (1-phase) or Three phase (3-phase). This affects:

Available power capacity
Fixed charges (three-phase is higher)
Solar system design (single-phase inverters vs three-phase inverters)

Section 2: Meter Reading Details

Meter Number

The serial number of your TANGEDCO meter. If you have a net metering solar system, this should be a bidirectional meter (smart meter or conventional bidirectional) that records both import and export.

Previous Reading and Current Reading

These are the meter register values at the start and end of the billing period.

For standard meters: A single reading showing total consumption
For bidirectional meters (net metering): Two readings — R1 (import) and R2 (export)

Assessment Type

Type	Meaning
Actual	Bill based on actual meter reading by TANGEDCO staff
Assessed/Estimated	Bill based on estimated consumption (meter not read)
Average	Bill based on average of previous months

Important: Estimated/average bills are common when TANGEDCO meter readers cannot access your meter. These estimates can be significantly higher or lower than actual consumption. If you receive an estimated bill, ensure the next actual reading correctly adjusts the balance. For net metering consumers, estimated bills can cause particular problems — always request an actual reading if you receive an estimated bill by contacting your section office JE.

Units Consumed (kWh)

For standard meters, this is simply: Current Reading - Previous Reading = Units Consumed

For bidirectional meters:

Import units (R1): Electricity drawn from the grid
Export units (R2): Electricity sent to the grid from your solar system
Net units: R1 - R2 (this is what you are billed for)

If R2 exceeds R1, you have a net export for the billing period. The excess is carried forward as a credit to the next month.

Section 3: Charges Breakdown

Energy Charges

This is the main component of your bill, calculated based on your consumption slab and tariff category.

Domestic calculation: For a consumer using 450 units in a bi-monthly period (falls in the 401–500 slab):

Energy charge = 450 units x ₹3.00/unit = ₹1,350

Remember: Tamil Nadu uses whole-slab billing — the rate applies to ALL units, not just the units within that slab.

Fixed Charges

A flat fee based on your tariff slab and phase of supply. Fixed charges are levied regardless of consumption level (except for the 0–100 unit free supply tier). These range from ₹50 to ₹300 per bi-monthly billing period for domestic consumers.

Fuel Cost Adjustment (FCA)

A per-unit surcharge that TNERC revises quarterly based on TANGEDCO's fuel procurement costs:

Current FCA: approximately ₹0.15–₹0.40 per unit
Applied to all units consumed
Shown as a separate line item

FCA was introduced to allow TANGEDCO to pass through volatile fuel costs without requiring full tariff revision proceedings. For consumers with solar, this is an additional hidden saving — solar units are not subject to FCA.

Electricity Duty

A state government levy of 5% on energy charges. This is separate from GST and is specific to electricity.

Wheeling Charges (for Open Access / HT Consumers)

If you are an HT consumer purchasing power through open access (from a third-party generator or power exchange), wheeling charges appear on your bill. This covers TANGEDCO's cost of transmitting the power through its distribution network. Domestic consumers on net metering do not pay wheeling charges.

Demand Charges (Commercial/Industrial)

Commercial and industrial consumers pay demand charges based on their sanctioned contract demand or recorded maximum demand, whichever is applicable:

LT Commercial: ₹80–₹120 per kW per month
HT Industrial: ₹350–₹500 per kVA per month
Minimum demand: 90% of sanctioned demand (you pay for at least 90% even if actual demand is lower)

Power Factor Penalty/Incentive

For commercial and industrial consumers:

PF below 0.9: A surcharge of up to 1–2% per 0.01 drop below 0.9
PF above 0.95: A rebate/incentive of 0.5–1% per 0.01 above 0.95

Maintaining good power factor through capacitor banks saves money and improves system efficiency.

Section 4: Net Metering Credits (Solar Consumers)

If you have a solar system with net metering, your bill shows additional fields:

Export Units (R2 Register)

The total units exported to the TANGEDCO grid during the billing period. These are netted against your import units.

Net Units Billed

Import units minus export units. If positive, you pay for the net balance. If negative (net export), the excess is carried forward.

Banked Energy Credit

Cumulative excess export credits carried forward from previous months. This balance accumulates through the banking year (April–March) and is settled at the avoided cost rate at year-end.

Avoided Cost Settlement (Annual)

At the end of the banking year (March 31), any remaining banked credits are settled at the avoided cost rate (₹2.25–₹3.50 per unit). This appears as a credit on your April/May bill. The avoided cost rate is significantly lower than the retail tariff, which is why system sizing to minimise annual surplus is important.

How to Check Your Bill Online

Method 1: TANGEDCO Website

Visit tnebnet.org or tangedco.org
Navigate to "Online Bill Payment" or "View Bill"
Enter your 11-digit consumer number
Your latest bill with full breakdown is displayed
Previous bills are also available for comparison

Method 2: TANGEDCO Mobile App

Download the TANGEDCO app from Google Play Store or Apple App Store:

Register with your consumer number and mobile number
View current and past bills
Pay directly through UPI, net banking, or card
Receive push notifications for new bills

Method 3: Third-Party Payment Apps

Paytm, PhonePe, Google Pay, and Amazon Pay all support TANGEDCO bill payments. Search for "TNEB" or "TANGEDCO" in the electricity section and enter your consumer number.

How to Check Bill History Online

Monitoring your bill history is essential for:

Tracking consumption trends
Verifying the impact of solar installation on your bills
Identifying anomalous billing periods

On the TANGEDCO website, the "Consumption History" or "Bill History" section shows:

Last 12–24 months of bills
Month-by-month consumption in kWh
Billing amounts
Payment status

For solar consumers: Compare your pre-solar and post-solar bill history to quantify actual savings. This data is also useful when recommending solar to neighbours or colleagues.

Common Billing Errors and How to Dispute Them

Error 1: Incorrect Tariff Category

Symptom: Unusually high bill for normal consumption Check: Verify the tariff code on your bill matches your connection type Resolution: Visit your section office with your original connection order and request a tariff correction. If overcharged, demand retrospective adjustment.

Error 2: Estimated Bill Overcharge

Symptom: Bill based on "Assessed" reading that is much higher than actual consumption Check: Compare the estimated reading with your actual meter reading (photograph your meter on the billing date) Resolution: Request a meter reading correction at the section office. Provide your photographed meter reading as evidence.

Error 3: Meter Reading Error

Symptom: Consumption shown is impossibly high (e.g., 2,000 units for a small flat) Check: Verify the previous and current readings match the actual meter displays Resolution: Could indicate a faulty meter, meter reader error, or meter tampering by a previous tenant. Request a meter test through the section office.

Error 4: Missing Net Metering Credits

Symptom: You have a solar system with net metering, but export units are not appearing on your bill Check: Verify your bidirectional meter is functioning (both R1 and R2 registers should show readings) Resolution: Contact the section office JE. The meter may need reconfiguration, or the billing system may not be updated with your net metering account details.

Error 5: Incorrect Slab Application

Symptom: You consumed 200 units but are billed at the 201–400 slab rate Check: Recalculate: Current Reading - Previous Reading = Actual Units. Compare with billed units. Resolution: File a written complaint at the section office with your calculation and meter photographs.

How to File a Billing Dispute

Step 1: Visit your TANGEDCO section office with the disputed bill, your meter reading photographs, and any supporting documents
Step 2: Submit a written complaint to the Junior Engineer (JE) or Assistant Engineer (AE)
Step 3: If unresolved within 15 days, escalate to the Divisional Engineer (DE)
Step 4: Use the TANGEDCO online grievance portal (tneb.in → Consumer Services → Grievance) for a trackable complaint reference
Step 5: If TANGEDCO does not resolve within 30 days, file a complaint with the TNERC Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF) — this is the regulatory authority and TANGEDCO must respond

Documentation tip: Always photograph your meter reading on or near the billing date. This creates an independent record that protects you in disputes. For bidirectional meters, photograph both the R1 (import) and R2 (export) registers.

Understanding Your Bill After Solar Installation

After your solar system is commissioned and the bidirectional meter is installed, your bill changes noticeably:

What Changes

Import units drop significantly (your consumption from the grid reduces)
Export units appear as a new line item (energy your solar system sends to the grid)
Net units billed are much lower (import minus export)
Slab may change — lower net consumption can push you into a cheaper slab, creating a double benefit (fewer units AND lower rate per unit)
Annual settlement credit appears once a year (excess export credits settled at avoided cost rate)

Example: Bill Comparison Pre-Solar vs Post-Solar

Parameter	Before Solar	After Solar (3 kW system)
Bi-monthly import units	550	250
Bi-monthly export units	0	120
Net billed units	550	130
Tariff slab	501–600 (₹4.00/unit)	101–200 (₹1.50/unit)
Energy charges	₹2,200	₹195
Fixed charges	₹120	₹50
FCA	₹110	₹26
Electricity duty	₹110	₹10
Total bill	₹2,540	₹281
Savings	—	₹2,259 per bi-month

This 89% bill reduction is typical for a well-sized 3 kW system in Tamil Nadu.

Want to see what your TANGEDCO bill could look like after solar? Use our solar savings calculator with your consumer number to get a personalised projection, or contact Tristar Green Energy Solutions for a detailed analysis. We have helped hundreds of Tamil Nadu households transform their EB bills from burden to negligible.

Understanding Your TANGEDCO EB Bill: Every Field Explained