Feasibility study of electricity theft detection using mobile remote check meters

Author

Doorduin, W.A. ; Mouton, H.T. ; Herman, R. ; Beukes, H.J.

Author_Institution

Dept. of Electr. & Electron. Eng., Stellenbosch Univ.

Volume

1

fYear

2004

fDate

17-17 Sept. 2004

Firstpage

373

Abstract

Check metering is an effective method for measuring the losses and electricity theft in a low voltage (LV) reticulation network. Populating a LV reticulation network with permanent check meters is expensive. Electricity theft or tampering is a dynamic process. Current developments in the telecommunications industry make it possible to implement a mobile remote check meter. A data collection infrastructure and data mining software, combined with check metering, can provide valuable information regarding the network. Before devices are placed in the field, a study is conducted to determine the optimum stationary time period for detecting electricity theft in the area, based on available consumption data in the area. This paper discusses simulations and models based on data from pre-paid meters in order to determine the feasibility and method of operation of a remote check meter

Keywords

data acquisition; data mining; metering; power system measurement; check metering; data collection infrastructure; data mining software; electricity tampering; electricity theft detection; low voltage reticulation network; mobile remote check meters; network losses; optimum stationary detection time period; pre-paid meters; Africa; Communication industry; Costing; Data mining; Electric variables measurement; Electronic mail; Energy consumption; Loss measurement; Low voltage; Substations;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

AFRICON, 2004. 7th AFRICON Conference in Africa

Conference_Location

Gaborone

Print_ISBN

0-7803-8605-1

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/AFRICON.2004.1406697

Filename

1406697