Setting Up Home Electricity with SEC in Saudi Arabia

Getting your home connected to power is one of the first practical steps when moving into a new place in Saudi Arabia. All electricity accounts, whether you are setting up a brand-new connection or transferring an existing supply, are handled directly by the Saudi Electricity Company (SEC). In this سعودي ليفنج guide, we walk you through how residential connections work, what the fees are based on, and how the charges scale with your property's needs.

Where to Set Up Your Account

Home electricity in the Kingdom is arranged through SEC's own online portal and customer service channels. This is worth clarifying upfront: unlike many other government services, SEC accounts are not created or managed through platforms such as Absher, Muqeem, Qiwa, Najiz, Nafath, Tawakkalna, or similar portals. For anything related to opening, transferring, or managing your electricity account, you deal with SEC directly.

• Use the official SEC portal or app to open a new residential account or transfer service.
• Have your property and identity documents ready before you start the application.
• Always confirm the latest steps and any required paperwork on SEC's official channels, as processes can be updated.

How Residential Connection Costs Are Calculated

For a permanent residential connection, SEC bases the service connection cost on the capacity of your circuit breaker, measured in kVA (kilovolt-amperes). The larger the breaker capacity your home requires, the higher the per-kVA rate can be. This ensures that homes with heavier electrical loads contribute proportionally to the cost of connecting them to the grid.

In simple terms, your connection charge is calculated by multiplying a per-kVA rate by your breaker capacity, with the rate depending on which capacity band you fall into.

Per-kVA Connection Brackets

Typical current brackets for residential service connection include the following. These are illustrative and you should always confirm the applicable figure with SEC before proceeding:

• More than 1 kVA up to 30 kVA: 60 SAR
• More than 30 kVA up to 60 kVA: 95 SAR
• More than 60 kVA up to 120 kVA: around 120–165 SAR depending on the specific table version and the exact sub-band.
• More than 120 kVA up to roughly 152–500 kVA: around 175 SAR
• Above the highest standard capacity (around 152 kVA): a fixed amount of about 26,600 SAR plus 250 SAR

Illustrative meter installation tariffs still in use break the mid-range down further, for example 150 SAR per kVA for a 60–90 kVA breaker and 165 SAR per kVA for a 90–120 kVA breaker. For a standard smaller home, you will usually sit comfortably within the lowest band.

The New Grid Connection Fee Mechanism

A regulatory amendment has moved the model away from "connection fees only" toward a combined structure. For larger or more complex connections, the cost can now be made up of several components:

• Feasibility or preliminary study fees — for example, preliminary study work listed at 25,000 SAR.
• Planning, engineering, and engineering supervision fees — for example, listed at 75,000 SAR for the required works
• Per-kVA financial compensation for the connection, based on the breaker capacity bands above.

These fixed study and engineering fees generally apply to larger works rather than a simple standard home supply, but it is useful to know how the full framework fits together, especially if you are building or connecting a larger property.

What a Standard Home Usually Needs

Most typical residences run on a modest breaker capacity, which places them in the lowest per-kVA band. A standard 60-amp residential supply, for instance, is a common configuration for many homes and apartments. If you are unsure what capacity your property requires, an approved electrician or SEC's technical team can advise based on your appliances and layout.

Practical Tips Before You Apply

• Confirm the breaker capacity your home actually needs — over-specifying increases your connection cost.
• Keep your property documents and ID ready to speed up the account setup.
• Ask whether you are opening a fresh connection or transferring an existing meter, as the process differs.
• Always verify current rates, brackets, and any study or engineering fees directly with SEC, as tariff tables are periodically updated.

With your account open and your meter connected, you are ready to enjoy a fully powered home. Keep your SEC login details handy for paying bills and monitoring consumption month to month.

---

Stay updated with the latest news, events, sports updates, business insights, real estate and lifestyle stories on Saudi Living — the leading online platform for residents, expats, and visitors in Saudi Arabia.

Follow Saudi Living for daily updates:

• Instagram - @saudiliving
• X - @saudiliving
• Facebook - @saudiliving
• YouTube - @saudiliving