Updated: August 2026
If you live in Karachi, you apply for a K-Electric new connection through the utility’s own website, ke.com.pk, or at any KE Customer Experience Center. You do not use the national ENC portal that the rest of Pakistan uses, because K-Electric is a separate utility and is not part of the WAPDA distribution network. For any load below 80 kW, which covers almost every home and small shop, you pick the Asaan Meter category, upload your CNIC and a few papers, and KE says the meter can be on your wall within 15 days once your documents are complete and your estimate is paid.
That short answer hides a few decisions worth getting right the first time, because a wrong document freezes the file and you queue again. This guide walks a Karachi applicant through the rest: which category to choose, the exact papers KE asks for, how the estimate and refundable security deposit are built, and how to track a case with the Case ID and password KE texts you. Applicants elsewhere should read our national ENC portal guide instead, because none of the KE steps below apply to them.
The process at a glance
| Question | Answer for K-Electric |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | ke.com.pk new connection form or any KE Customer Experience Center in Karachi |
| Which portal | K-Electric’s own site. Not the national ENC portal (enc.com.pk), which serves WAPDA DISCOs only |
| Simplest route | Asaan Meter category, for any sanctioned load below 80 kW |
| Core documents | Applicant CNIC, two witnesses’ CNICs, ownership or tenancy proof, a nearby paid bill, an undertaking on Rs 100 stamp paper |
| KE’s stated timeline | Around 15 days for Asaan Meter, once documents are complete and the estimate is paid |
| Cost | No single flat fee. An estimate (material plus works) plus a refundable per-kW security deposit; use KE’s Cost Calculator for your figure |
| Tracking | new-connections.ke.com.pk with the Case ID and password KE sends by SMS |
| Help | KE call centre 118, WhatsApp 0348-0000118, customer.care@ke.com.pk |
Why Karachi is different: KE is not on the ENC portal
Most new-connection guides in Pakistan send you to enc.com.pk, the single Electricity New Connection portal. That portal covers the ten WAPDA distribution companies: LESCO, MEPCO, IESCO, GEPCO, FESCO, PESCO, HESCO, SEPCO, QESCO and TESCO. Karachi is the one big exception. K-Electric was privatised years ago and runs generation, transmission and distribution across the city and a few adjoining areas as one vertically integrated company. It sits outside the WAPDA system, so it keeps its own application platform and its own tracking.
So here is what it means for you. If your address is in Karachi, do not waste time picking a DISCO on enc.com.pk; your utility will not be on the list. The document logic, the survey, the demand notice (which KE calls an estimate) and the security deposit all still exist, under the same NEPRA Consumer Service Manual that governs every distributor. Only the front door changes.
This also shapes your bill later. KE slabs follow the national tariff NEPRA notifies, but the payment channels and duplicate-bill tools are KE-specific, so our K-Electric per-unit price guide and the K-Electric bill calculator are built for Karachi, not the Punjab DISCOs.
Which category are you? Asaan Meter or above 80 kW
K-Electric splits new connections into three broad buckets, and the one you fall into decides how simple your life is.
Asaan Meter, below 80 kW (KE spells it “Aasaan Meter” on its own forms and FAQ). This is the fast lane and it covers the overwhelming majority of applicants: houses, flats, small shops and small offices. KE built the Asaan Meter route specifically to cut paperwork and turnaround for ordinary customers, so if your load is anywhere under 80 kW, this is your category. Almost every domestic connection in Karachi is a fraction of that ceiling.
Housing and multistorey, above 80 kW. Apartment blocks, bungalows with very heavy load, gated projects and commercial buildings with large sanctioned load go here. The survey is heavier because the network may need a dedicated transformer or a bulk-supply arrangement.
Industrial, above 80 kW. Factories and industrial units requiring high capacity. This route involves technical feasibility, possible 11 kV supply and a longer engineering review.
Inside the Asaan Meter band, the other choice is single-phase or three-phase, and it turns on your sanctioned load. A normal home with lights, fans, a fridge and one or two inverter ACs sits comfortably on single-phase and usually declares 2 to 4 kW. Once you add several heavy air-conditioners, a water pump or workshop machinery, you cross into three-phase, and under NEPRA’s rules a sanctioned load of 5 kW and above brings time-of-use metering, where your evening units cost more. Our peak hours guide explains that window before you lock in a load. Declare what you actually need, because over-declaring inflates the security deposit for capacity you never draw.
Documents for a K-Electric new connection
For the Asaan Meter route, KE keeps the list short on purpose. Get every paper attested and legible before you start, because the single most common reason a Karachi file stalls is a missing or unclear document.
| Document | Notes for KE applicants |
|---|---|
| Applicant’s CNIC copy | Front and back, matching the name the connection will be registered under |
| Two witnesses’ CNIC copies | KE asks for two witnesses on the Asaan Meter undertaking |
| Ownership proof | Registry, sub-lease, allotment letter or sale deed for the premises. Societies and DHA plots use their allotment or transfer papers |
| Tenancy papers (if renting) | Registered tenancy agreement, the owner’s NOC and a copy of the owner’s CNIC |
| A nearby paid bill | The last paid KE bill of an adjacent or nearest premises, which helps KE locate you on the network |
| Asaan Meter undertaking | On Rs 100 stamp paper, attested by a notary public or oath commissioner, confirming the details are true and no unpaid dues attach to the premises |
| Approved building plan | For new construction, the sanctioned map from the relevant building control authority (SBCA or the cantonment board) |
| Company papers (if applicable) | For a firm: NTN, business registration and an authorisation on company letterhead |
Three Karachi-specific cautions. The undertaking is a legal commitment: if old dues later surface against the address, you have signed to clear them, so check the premises history first. If the property has more than one owner, bring their written no-objection, because KE parks the file until co-owners agree. And for a rented shop or flat, the owner’s NOC is the paper most often forgotten; without it a tenant application does not move.
How to apply online: step by step
- Open the KE new connection page at ke.com.pk and go to the online application form. You can also walk into any of KE’s Customer Experience Centers and apply on paper. Both feed the same system.
- Run the Load Assessment Calculator first. KE offers a load assessment tool on the new-connections page so you enter your appliances and it suggests the sanctioned load to request. Getting this right stops you from over-declaring and over-paying on the deposit.
- Select your category. For a home or small shop under 80 kW, choose Asaan Meter. Larger residential and commercial projects pick Housing and Multistorey; factories pick Industrial.
- Fill in the form. Your name, father’s or husband’s name, CNIC without dashes, mobile number, complete premises address, connection type and the load in kW. The mobile number matters: your Case ID and password arrive there.
- Upload your documents. Scan or photograph each paper from the table above so it is clear and readable. Blurry CNIC images are a frequent rejection reason.
- Submit and note your Case ID. KE sends a unique Case ID and a password by SMS. Keep them safe; they are how you sign in to track the case and how KE identifies your file.
- Site survey and load feasibility. A KE team checks whether supply is feasible at your premises and whether the nearest pole or transformer has capacity. For Asaan Meter loads this step is meant to be quick.
- Receive your estimate. KE issues an estimate (its version of the demand notice) covering the material and works cost plus the refundable security deposit. You can also model the number in advance with KE’s Cost Calculator on the same page.
- Pay the estimate and deposit through a designated bank, a Customer Experience Center or a digital channel (covered in the next section), then keep the receipt.
- Meter installation and energisation. Once payment clears, KE draws the service cable, installs the meter and switches you on. Under the Asaan Meter promise this closes the whole loop at around 15 days from a complete application.
Prefer a human across a desk? KE runs Customer Experience Centers across Karachi where staff take the same application and help with the form. The steps, the documents and the timeline are identical to the online route.
What a K-Electric new connection costs
There is no single published “K-Electric connection fee.” Be wary of any site that quotes a neat figure like a fixed application charge or a flat meter price, because KE does not publish one and the ranges floating around online are guesses, not official rates. Your real cost is built case by case from two parts.
The estimate (material and works). This is the actual cost of connecting your specific premises: service cable, the meter, hardware and the labour to install it, priced from KE’s schedule. A flat next to an existing KE pole needs very little material; a plot set back from the line needs more. KE publishes a Cost Calculator on its new-connections page so you can estimate this before you apply, and the formal estimate arrives after the survey.
The security deposit. This is refundable. It scales with your sanctioned load in kilowatts and is calculated under the security-deposit schedule in NEPRA’s Consumer Service Manual, the same rulebook every distributor follows. Because it is per kW, the load you declare directly sets this amount, which is another reason not to over-declare. KE holds the deposit against your account and returns it when you permanently disconnect the meter and settle any final bill.
Two protections in the manual are worth knowing. If material prices rise while KE is still inside its own installation window, a residential applicant should not be charged escalation for that delay. And you can ask to pay the estimate in instalments, with no mark-up on the schedule. For the exact rupee figure for your load and location, use KE’s Cost Calculator or ask at a Customer Experience Center rather than trusting a number from an unofficial page.
Paying the estimate and security deposit
Once KE issues your estimate, you have several ways to pay, and the receipt is what pushes your file to the installation stage. K-Electric accepts payment through:
- Designated bank branches. KE lists partner banks for new-connection payments, including Habib Metro, Faysal Bank and Askari Bank. Deposit there and keep the stamped receipt.
- KE Customer Experience Centers. You can pay the estimate and deposit in person at a center.
- Digital channels. The KE Live app, internet and mobile banking, and retailer or wallet networks all handle KE payments.
Whatever channel you use, keep proof of payment and note it against your Case ID, because the installation clock effectively starts once payment clears. If the estimate carries a validity window, pay inside it; a lapsed estimate can send you back to a fresh application, exactly as a demand notice does on the WAPDA side.
How long a K-Electric connection really takes
KE’s headline commitment for the Asaan Meter category is 15 days, measured from a complete application through to meter installation, provided your documents are in order and you pay the estimate promptly. That is faster than the general 30-day standard NEPRA sets for small connections in its Consumer Service Manual (Revised 2025), and it is the main reason KE created the Asaan Meter lane.
Now the honest caveats. That clock assumes a complete file, so every missing or unclear document quietly pauses the count without breaching the standard. The other common stalls in Karachi are an unpaid estimate, a nearby transformer with no spare capacity, and ownership or old-dues issues on the premises. Connections above 80 kW take longer by design, because the survey and any transformer work add weeks.
If your case drifts well past the promised window with no clear reason, escalate. NEPRA’s manual entitles you to written reasons for delay, and KE’s own channels can push a sleepy file. Our electricity complaint helplines guide maps the escalation ladder from the KE call centre up to NEPRA’s consumer affairs office.
Tracking your application and who to contact
Track online. Go to new-connections.ke.com.pk, sign in with the Case ID and password KE texted you, and the portal shows the stage your file has reached. Lost the password? The portal has a “Forgot Password” option that verifies your Case ID and emails a reset. You can also check status through the KE Live app or by messaging KE on WhatsApp.
Live KE contact channels, verified on ke.com.pk as of August 2026:
| Channel | Detail |
|---|---|
| Call centre | 118 (24/7, works from all networks) |
| 0348-0000118 (bilingual: bills, complaints, new-connection guidance) | |
| customer.care@ke.com.pk | |
| App | KE Live (status, complaints, bills, payments) |
| In person | KE Customer Experience Centers across Karachi |
If a number on some other site does not match these, trust the ones KE publishes on its own domain. A single call centre number that always answers is more useful than a page full of exchange lines that ring out.
Why K-Electric applications get stuck or rejected
- Incomplete or unclear documents. The number-one cause. A blurred CNIC scan, a missing witness CNIC, or an unattested undertaking all pause the file until you resubmit.
- Missing owner NOC on rented premises. Tenant applications without the owner’s no-objection and CNIC do not move.
- Ownership disputes. Contested inheritance, missing chain of title, or co-owners who will not sign. KE parks the file rather than arbitrate.
- Old dues on the premises. Your undertaking binds you to clear previously undiscovered arrears, and in practice KE will not energise a new meter while a theft-detection bill or unpaid amount sits against the address.
- No network capacity. If the nearest transformer is full, your connection may wait for augmentation, or you may be offered capacity on a cost-deposit basis.
- Wrong category. Choosing Housing/Multistorey or Industrial when Asaan Meter fits, or the reverse, routes your file into a heavier queue than it needs.
- Load and wiring mismatch. The load you declare should match the wiring the premises can actually support.
After the meter goes in
Three small chores finish the job. Register your CNIC and mobile number against the new account number so bills and SMS alerts reach you. Learn to pull your bill the moment the first one is issued: our K-Electric duplicate bill guide shows how to view, download and print it free, without waiting for the paper copy. And set up how you will pay your K-Electric bill online so the first due date never slips past you.
Not sure which utility serves your new home? If your address is inside Karachi or its adjoining KE-supplied areas, everything above applies. Anywhere else in the country, you are on a WAPDA DISCO, and the national ENC portal guide is your starting point.
FAQs
How do I apply for a K-Electric new connection online?
Open the new connection form on ke.com.pk, run KE’s Load Assessment Calculator, choose the Asaan Meter category if your load is below 80 kW, fill in your CNIC and premises details, and upload your documents. KE sends you a Case ID and password by SMS. After a site survey you receive an estimate, you pay it at a designated bank or a Customer Experience Center, and the meter is installed. You can also apply in person at any KE Customer Experience Center.
What is K-Electric’s Asaan Meter and who can use it?
Asaan Meter is K-Electric’s simplified, faster new-connection route for any sanctioned load below 80 kW, which covers nearly every home and small shop in Karachi. It asks for fewer documents than the large-load categories and KE targets meter installation within about 15 days once your file is complete and the estimate is paid. Connections above 80 kW go through the Housing and Multistorey or Industrial routes instead.
What documents are required for a KE new connection?
For the Asaan Meter route you need a copy of your CNIC, CNIC copies of two witnesses, ownership proof (registry, allotment or sale deed) or tenancy papers with the owner’s NOC and CNIC, the last paid bill of a nearby premises, and an undertaking on Rs 100 stamp paper attested by a notary public or oath commissioner. New construction also needs the approved building plan, and a company needs its NTN and a letterhead authorisation.
How much does a K-Electric new connection cost in 2026?
There is no fixed flat fee. Your cost has two parts: an estimate for the actual material and works needed to connect your premises, and a refundable security deposit calculated per kilowatt of sanctioned load under NEPRA’s Consumer Service Manual. KE publishes a Cost Calculator on its new-connections page for an advance figure, and the formal estimate arrives after the survey. Ignore fixed rupee figures quoted on unofficial sites, because K-Electric does not publish a single connection charge.
How long does a K-Electric new connection take?
K-Electric commits to roughly 15 days for the Asaan Meter category, from a complete application to meter installation, provided your documents are in order and you pay the estimate promptly. That is faster than NEPRA’s general 30-day standard for small connections. Missing documents, an unpaid estimate, or a transformer with no spare capacity are the usual causes of delay, and loads above 80 kW take longer because of the extra feasibility work.
Can Karachi residents apply through the ENC portal (enc.com.pk)?
No. The national ENC portal at enc.com.pk serves only the ten WAPDA distribution companies, such as LESCO, MEPCO and IESCO. K-Electric is a separate, vertically integrated utility for Karachi and its adjoining areas, so it runs its own application and tracking system on ke.com.pk. If your address is in Karachi, apply through K-Electric, not the ENC portal.
How do I get a K-Electric commercial connection?
A small commercial premises under 80 kW, such as a shop or small office, uses the same Asaan Meter route as a home, with your business papers added: NTN, business registration and an authorisation on company letterhead alongside the CNIC and undertaking. A commercial project above 80 kW goes through the Housing and Multistorey category, which involves a heavier survey and possibly a dedicated transformer. Use KE’s Cost Calculator or a Customer Experience Center to size the estimate.