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Design and implementation of an automatic tamper detection and reporting

capability for a single phase energy meter

Conference Paper · November 2017

DOI: 10.1109/NIGERCON.2017.8281947

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 2017 IEEE 3rd International Conference on Electro-Technology for National Development (NIGERCON)

Design and Implementation of an Automatic

Tamper Detection and Reporting Capability
for a single phase Energy Meter
H. E. Amhenrior F. O. Edeko, E. A. Ogujor and J. O. Emagbetere
Benin Electricity Distribution Company/Global Department of Electrical/Electronic Engineering,
Utilities Mgt Coy, University of Benin,
Benin City, Nigeria. Benin City, Nigeria
henrino2003@yahoo.com, frededeko@yahoo.co.uk, oguemma@yahoo.com,
omoavowere.emagbetere@uniben.edu

Abstract- In this paper, the design and I. INTRODUCTION

implementation of automatic tamper detection It has been widely reported that energy theft is a
and reporting capability of Energy meter was common practice all over the world and it is taking
carried out. The system has the capability to a toll on the revenue of the utility companies [1].
detect bypass internally on the meter and Recently, [2] reported that American Electric
Power had 27 percent increase in theft cases
externally on the service cables from the electric
investigated in January and February of 2009
pole. It also incorporates wireless disconnection compare to the preceding year. The case in Nigeria
and connection of load capabilities. This is not different, rather it may be more alarming,
becomes imperative as a result of high rate of though there are no statistics to support this.
energy theft that arises from meter tampering.
The system comprises of a developed Single Many forms of energy theft are common in
Phase Prepayment Energy Meter and the supply Nigeria. Particular among the methods is the seal-
authority Global System for Mobile breaking and the terminal cover opening either to
Communications (GSM) capable device bypass the meter at the terminal or tamper with the
platform. The meter is made of the energy meter meter circuitry. Some of the existing prepayment
meters in Nigeria cannot detect tamper whenever it
IC, two microcontrollers which are suitably
occurs and this gives opportunity to dubious
programmed in C++, one for Energy electricity consumers to manipulate the meter for
measurement and the other for monitoring of energy theft. This condition of manipulation or
meter activities especially terminal tamper and bypass may remain for a long time pending when
communications. It also has the tamper switch, the perpetuator is caught by inspection officers of
the circuit breaker and the GSM modem the utility company. Some other meters which have
(SIM900) which is interfaced to the monitoring tamper detection capabilities however do not
microcontroller. The modem is used for possess the facilities for reporting tampering in
communication particularly in Short Message real-time. Again, reactivating tampered meters is
Service (SMS) form with the supply authority. only through the keypad with a code from the
Utility Company. Similarly, existing meters cannot
The server and the Application Platform
be remotely connected to load and disconnected
communicates with the meter using developed from load. These underscores the need to find an
commands available to only the supply improvement in these aspects of prepayment
authority. The use of Wireless Current meters.
Transducers (WCT) for the detection of energy
theft through external bypass of the Prepaid II. LITERATURE REVIEW
Meter was also proposed to be incorporated in Apart from the issues of technical losses in the
the system. The results obtained show transmission and distribution of electricity which
satisfactory tamper detection and reporting as the distribution companies has to deal with, of
well as wireless connection with 100% success more concern is the energy theft by electricity
rate recorded as implemented. consumers due to meter tampering and other meter
manipulations.
Keywords: Automatic Tamper Reporting, SMS,
Microcontroller, Wireless Connection, Reference [3] identifies various ways of energy
Developed Commands. theft in both electromechanical and smart meters

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which include: the use of a magnet on a meter, did not propose any practical methodology that can
stopping the rotating disc, damaging the coil of a be used to detect and transmit information on
meter, interchanging the output connection and energy theft to the electricity company.
direct connection from the power line. This work
Many researchers have shown various interest in the supply authority for actions.
understanding and solving this problem over the
years. Notably among the researchers, [4] presented Reference [7] used an infrared sensor mounted on
electricity-theft detection problem as a game the seal of a meter in its screw position to avert
between the utility company and consumers who energy theft. Once the screw is opened on the
steals energy, and found the game’s Nash meter by tampering with the seal through the
equilibrium as a probability density function that monitoring of the PIC microcontroller, the supply
assaulters and protectors have to choose so as to authority is notified through a message. This is a
send Advance Metering Infrastructure (AMI) very good way of tampering detection, but it fails
measurements. This was rather a probabilistic to cut off the supply to the load. Seal tampering of
approach using statistical tools to examines the meter terminal cover is the most common way of
likelihood of energy thieves been detected. theft detection.

Most literature on energy theft detection dwell on A. The Wireless Current Transducer
energy supply comparison with energy consume Current Transducers (CTs) sometimes refers to as
recorded by the consumer’s meter to establish current transformers are generally used to measure
discrepancies that may give a clue for investigation Alternating Current (AC) amperage in an electrical
of the consumer. In line with this, [5] used a circuit. They are accurate, safe, easy to implement
mathematical model called backtracking algorithm and reliable in tough environmental and thermal
for energy theft analysis. They proposed a system conditions [8]. Most CTs are hard wired in many
which contains a pair of current transformer (CT), a applications. Hard-wired CTs are not suitable for
pair of signal conditioner, a pair of current-to- applications like the monitoring of external line
voltage converter, a comparator, a voltage-to- bypass of Prepaid Meters as in this case, hence the
frequency converter and a communication module. need for a wireless, self-powered and non-invasive
The method involves getting the information on the current sensor. It is incorporated with a circuitry
power consumed by customer from meter that is able to realize its ultra-low power from the
measurement and the power delivered to the surrounding magnetic field especially for the
customer from the supply network and then finding transmission of the generated CT signal to the
the difference between the two information receiver for processing. These set of CTs are
received from the meter and power delivered. It miniaturized and easy to install. They work on the
then checks that this stated difference is more than principle of electromagnetic induction from a
a preset value, and signals an observed variance if current carrying conductor passing through a coil.
the difference between the information of power Therefore they are designed to be clamp on the
consumed from meter and power delivered is cables on which an integrated effective average
higher than the preset value. Also, the system may current are to be measured and transmits their
involve determining that the variance changes over values to the receivers in the range of milliseconds
time by a preset value and showing notification of to seconds. These types of CTs are of various
this using power lines. The methodology described current ratings.
here can only detect an assumed energy theft based
on difference in the compared readings between III. METHODOLOGY
two meters. One of the meters can be faulty and This work consists of two sections. One section is
this may render the reading incorrect. The method implemented by way of prototype realization and
does not take other forms of energy theft into the other is the proposed section yet to be realized.
consideration. Similarly, [6] in their study of The proposed section involves the use of a
energy theft and proffering solution to the situation Wireless Current Transducers (WCT) for the
modeled and simulated a form of power theft detection of energy theft through external bypass of
detection system with instantaneous Short Message the Prepaid Meter.
Service (SMS) alert in a MATLAB/SIMULINK
environment. In their methodology a Meter is
mounted either at the transformer or on the Pole to
monitor and sum up the total energy consumption
from various consumers’ meter in a designated
region and compares it with a set reference value.
A theft of energy is detected (suggested) if this
reference value is exceeded and an SMS is sent to

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development of commands for Supply Authority to

Fig. 1. Block Diagram of the System control the meter and the development of a Global
System for Mobile Communications (GSM)
The implemented section was realized in stages; capable Platform for the Supply Authority to
the hardware and software stages. The hardware receive report and manage tampering, and also to
stage is the development of the energy meter. The be able to achieve remote connection and
software stage is subdivided into two parts. The disconnection of meter from load. The above two
first is the programming of the developed meter to stages were implemented in this work. The block
detect and report tamper and carry out load diagram of the tamper and bypass detection and
disconnection and reconnection. The second is the reporting system is as presented in Fig. 1.

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A. Prepayment Energy Meter

U1
Tamper Switch
AVCC
100 +5VDC R1
42 98 ADE7755
PL7 AREF
41 10k
PL6
40
PL5/OC5C PE7/ICP3/CLKO/INT7
9 and Circuitry
39 8
PL4/OC5B PE6/T3/INT6
38 7
PL3/OC5A PE5/OC3C/INT5 U3
37 6
PL2/T5 PE4/OC3B/INT4
36 5 4
35
PL1/ICP5 PE3/OC3A/AIN1
4
R14
PL0/ICP4 PE2/XCK0/AIN0
PE1/TXD0/PDO
3
220k
+5VDC 2
82 2 5
PK7/ADC15/PCINT23 PE0/RXD0/PCINT8/PDI
83
PK6/ADC14/PCINT22
84 50 6 1
PK5/ADC13/PCINT21 PD7/T0
85 49
PK4/ADC12/PCINT20 PD6/T1
86
PK3/ADC11/PCINT19 PD5/XCK1
48 D5 U7
OPTOCOUPLER-NPN

Atmega2560
87 47
PK2/ADC10/PCINT18 PD4/ICP1
88 46 2 14
PK1/ADC9/PCINT17 PD3/TXD1/INT3 PD0/RXD/PCINT16 PB0/ICP1/CLKO/PCINT0
89 45 3 15
PK0/ADC8/PCINT16 PD2/RXD1/INT2 PD1/TXD/PCINT17 PB1/OC1A/PCINT1
44 4 16
PD1/SDA/INT1 PD2/INT0/PCINT18 PB2/SS/OC1B/PCINT2
79 43 5 17
PJ7 PD0/SCL/INT0 PD3/INT1/OC2B/PCINT19 PB3/MOSI/OC2A/PCINT3
69 6 18
PJ6/PCINT15 PD4/T0/XCK/PCINT20 PB4/MISO/PCINT4
68 60 11 19
PJ5/PCINT14 PC7/A15 PD5/T1/OC0B/PCINT21 PB5/SCK/PCINT5
67 59 12 9
SIM900 PJ4/PCINT13 PC6/A14 PD6/AIN0/OC0A/PCINT22 PB6/TOSC1/XTAL1/PCINT6

Atmega328P
66 58 13 10
PJ3/PCINT12 PC5/A13 PD7/AIN1/PCINT23 PB7/TOSC2/XTAL2/PCINT7
65 57
PJ2/XCK3/PCINT11 PC4/A12
64 56 AREF 21 23
PJ1/TXD3/PCINT10 PC3/A11 AREF PC0/ADC0/PCINT8
63 55 20 24
PJ0/RXD3/PCINT9 PC2/A10 AVCC PC1/ADC1/PCINT9
TX RX PC1/A9
54
PC2/ADC2/PCINT10
25
27 53 26
PH7/T4 PC0/A8 PC3/ADC3/PCINT11
18 27
PH6/OC2B PC4/ADC4/SDA/PCINT12
17 26 28
PH5/OC4C PB7/OC0A/OC1C/PCINT7 PC5/ADC5/SCL/PCINT13
16 25 1
PH4/OC4B PB6/OC1B/PCINT6 PC6/RESET/PCINT14
15 24
PH3/OC4A PB5/OC1A/PCINT5
14 23 ATMEGA328P A
PH2/XCK2 PB4/OC2A/PCINT4
13
PH1/TXD2 PB3/MISO/PCINT3
22 +5VDC
12 21
PH0/RXD2 PB2/MOSI/PCINT2
PB1/SCK/PCINT1
20 R15 R16 R17
1 19 10k 10k 10k
PG5/OC0B PB0/SS/PCINT0
29
PG4/TOSC1 U4
28 71
70
PG3/TOSC2 PA7/AD7
72 RL1 6 1
PG2/ALE PA6/AD6 Relay SCL X1
52
PG1/RD PA5/AD5
73 Q1 5
SDA
51 74 BC547
PG0/WR PA4/AD4
75
PA3/AD3
90 76 7
PF7/ADC7/TDI PA2/AD2 SOUT
91 77
PF6/ADC6/TDO PA1/AD1
92 78 3 2
PF5/ADC5/TMS PA0/AD0 VBAT X2
93
PF4/ADC4/TCK R2 D1
94
PF3/ADC3 XTAL2
33 47k B2 DS1307 X3
95 34 12V CRYSTAL
PF2/ADC2 XTAL1
96 32.768KHz
PF1/ADC1
97 30 DIODE
PF0/ADC0 RESET
ATMEGA2560

Fig. 2. Schematic Circuit of the Prepayment Energy Meter [9] Unpublished

Fig. 2 presents the schematic of the Prepayment The Atmega2560 is the monitoring and control
Energy Meter. It has an ADE7755 IC which is used microcontroller of the meter. Apart from the
in generating pulses from the energy consumption interface for receiving consumption update from
of the load. It has its inputs of voltage and current Atmega328P, it is also interfaced with the tamper
from the voltage and current transducers and these switch, the Real Time Clock (RTC), the Relay and
two quantities are multiply and processed to give the SIM900 GSM modem. The tamper switch is
the equivalent power consumption of the load. The located at the meter terminal compartment and
output of the ADE7755 is taken from the connected to port B5 (PCINT5) input pin of
Calibration frequency (CF) pin and passed through Atmega2560. The location of this switch at the
an optocoupler for noise isolation before terminal compartment is as shown in the picture of
interfacing it to Atmega328P through an interrupt Fig. 2 and it is placed in such a way that any
pin. opening of the terminal screw will open the switch
from its closed state and this will be communicated
The Atmega328P is dedicated to monitoring, to Atmega2560 for tamper detection, reporting and
measuring and recording of the consumption pulse load disconnection. The relay is interfaced to port
generated from the ADE7755 from energy F1 (pin96) of Atmega2560 through an NPN
consumed by the load through the meter which it transistor used for its logic control from the
receives in its interrupt pin 0. Atmega328P updates microcontroller. The relay is connected to the
Atmega2560 with the pulse count record every circuit breaker (contactor) used to control power
seconds at its request. Pin 14 (PCINT0) of supply to the load.
Atmega328P is connected to pin 63 (RXD3) of
Atmega2560 used for obtaining the pulse readings. The Serial Clock (SCL) and serial data (SDA)
terminals of the RTC are interfaced into the port D

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0 (PIN 43) and 1 (PIN 44) of the Atmega2560 the controller is connected to the transmit data of
which are the controller’s SCL and SDA Pins. The SIM900 while the transmit data of the controller is
RTC is used to keep track of events as they happen connected to the receive data of SIM900.
in the operations of the meter.
Other interfaces of Atmega2560 are the LCD, the
The SIM900 is used to achieve the communication keypad which are not shown here. Fig. 3 shows the
capabilities of the energy meter between the Supply meter as built with the terminal compartment.
Authority and the meter. It is interfaced to
Atmega2560 on Port H0 (pin12) which is the The prepayment Energy Meter has its two
Received Data (RXD2) pin and Port H1 which is microcontroller suitably programmed in C++
the Transmit Data (TXD2) pin. The receive data of language to carry out the prescribed functions.

Fig. 3. The Developed Energy meter and the Terminal Compartment showing the tamper switch [9] unpublished

B. The Supply Authority GSM Capable Device labour of physical disconnection. It will help in
the disconnection of hostile erring consumers.
This is the platform for receiving tampering
2. The *01# Command. This is used for remote
messages, reactivating tampered meters, issuing
connection of meters. This command is
commands for remote connection and
different from tamper reactivation command
disconnection of Prepayment Energy Meters. It can
3. *09# Command. This command is used to
also serve for management of consumer meters and
reconnect meter to load after it has been
the database. As used in this study, a mobile phone
tampered with.
was used to receive meter tampering notification
and to issue commands for reactivation of tampered D. Proposed Detection of Energy Theft through
meter, disconnection and connection of meter Bypass outside the Meter
remotely.
Energy thefts through bypass of energy meter
externally have been observed to be in various
C. Developed Commands
forms which can conveniently be grouped as
follows:
In this work, commands were developed for the
Supply Authority to communicate with the meter 1. Shorting of Phase Line
and manage it operations. These commands were 2. Connection of hidden or illegal load
developed in C++ language and only made to be before the meter. These loads are usually
used by the authority. The commands are sent from heavier than the loads connected to the
a mobile phone, and they are as follows: meter. This is also known as load
diversion.
1. The *00# Command. This command is used to
3. Outright disconnection of meter from load
disconnect meter remotely by the supply
and connecting it to the service line before
authority. This can be used to reduce the the meter.

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meter in the consumer’s premises. The meter CTP

receiver (see Fig. 1) receives the signal and then
To detect these forms of bypass, a system that uses
transmit it to the Atmega2560 microcontroller. The
a non-invasive miniature wireless Current
microcontroller compares the received value of
Transducer (CT) has been proposed as shown in
total current (Ip) transmitted to load from CTP on
the highlighted part of the system block diagram in
the pole with the current (Im) measured by the CTM
Fig. 1. This CT is installed on the pole on the phase
of the meter and determines the difference. It then
line connected to the meter. The CT is self-
computes the energy consumption in each case and
powered and measures the current passing through
then determines if there is a difference. If the
the service cable to the consumer loads and
microcontroller discovers a difference in the
transmit same wirelessly to the meter at the
current values between the two CTs or computed
consumer’s premises. The representation of this
energy consumption using the supplied voltage
arrangement is as shown in Fig. 4.
level, it will then establish a theft of energy by
Current is one of the major parameters of energy bypass. It then send a ‘bypass message’ SMS to the
consumption determinant by any load. Therefore Supply Authority stating the meter number that is
the current transducer (CTP) installed on the pole being bypassed.
on the phase line is made to measure the current
that is consumed both legally through the meter
and illegally through bypass outside the meter. The
meter in the premises also measures the current
through its current transducer (CTM) as a result of
the legal energy consume through it. The measured
current value through the cable by the CT P is sent
wirelessly to the

Fig. 4. Proposed use of miniature wireless CT on Service Line

E. Mathematical Model External bypass of meters are usually in various
forms as observed from practical experiences from
This section presents the mathematical relationship
the field. These forms of bypasses are analysed in
establishing cases of external meter bypass by way
scenarios 1, 2 and 3 below to show how the
of current loss on the line.
proposed method can establish external meter
The sinusoidal current is
denoted by bypass in each case.
(1)
Therefore, average current measured by the CTs is
Scenario 1: Shorting of the phase line.
(2) In this case, IP as measured by CTP is greater than
IM as measured by CTM. Much of the current and
(3) power is passed through the shorting wire to the
Where is the transmission loss which load. In this case a bypass is established. This
is usually negligible for such a length of cable from shown in Fig. 5.
the pole to the house; t is the time and i is current. Scenario 2: Diversion of power to hidden or illegal
If (4) load.
It then means there is a bypass. In this case, IP as measured by CTP is greater than
IM as measured by CTM. The current IP is divided

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between the meter load and the hidden load. Fig. 7 shows this. In this case, IP as measured by
Therefore, IM is highly less than IP and bypass will CTP is greater than IM as measured by CTM. The
be established. This is shown in Fig. 6. current IM will be approximately zero except for the
operation of the meter circuitry which is highly
Scenario 3: Outright disconnection of meter from
negligible. Then, IP will be approximately equal to
load and connecting it to the service line before the
the current to the hidden load.
meter.

Fig. 5. Bypass by shorting Phase Line

Fig. 6. Diversion of power to hidden or illegal load

Fig. 7. Disconnection of load from meter and connecting the load with a separate cable
IV. WORKING PRINCIPLE OF THE is kept disconnected from the load even if the
SYSTEM consumer closes the terminal box back in position
Tampering occurs when the terminal box cover is until the meter is reactivated from the Supply
opened. When this happened, the tamper switch Authority. Atmega2560 reads the meter ID and the
becomes opened and a logic 1 message is sent to time of occurrence of the tamper. It then sends an
Atmega2560 as meter tamper message. The SMS containing the ID of the meter that was
controller then goes into the memory and set the tampered to SIM900. The SIM900 then transmits
meter status to “tamper” mode. Atmega2560 this message over the air interface to the Supply
responds by sending a disconnection message Authority’s PC Application Platform or any other
through the NPN transistor to the circuit breaker GSM capable device designated for it as a tamper
and disconnects the meter from the load. The meter alert message. The consumer will then be forced to

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report to the Supply Authority’s office of load Prepayment Energy meter and transmits same to
disconnection or with the SMS alert, the supply Atmega2560 for interpretation and execution. In
authority’s field officers will visit the consumer executing this command, Atmega2560 sends a
and the consumer will be sanctioned accordingly. connection message to the relay through the NPN
transistor to connect the meter to the load. In both
To reactivate a tampered meter, *09# command is
disconnection and connection of the Prepayment
sent as an SMS from the Supply Authority’s
meter, the controller sends “Remote meter is
designated GSM capable device to the meter by an
disconnected from load” and “Remote meter is now
operator. The command is received by the SIM900
connected to load” respectively to the consumer.
of the meter and transmit the command to
Fig. 9 show pictures of disconnection and
Atmega2560. Atmega2560 examine the message
connection commands messages.
format and interprets it. It then goes into the
memory and resets the meter tampering status. As used in this work, meter tampering reactivation,
Thereafter, it sends a message to the relay through is different from remote connection of meter to
the NPN transistor to connect the meter to the load. load both in format and in operation. A tampered
Once the load is connected to supply, the controller meter cannot be connected to load with remote
send a “remote meter reactivated” message to the connection command and a remotely disconnected
consumer’s mobile number. Fig. 8 show pictures of meter cannot be connected to load with the tamper
tampering message alert and reactivation of reactivation command.
tampered meter messages.
In the proposed external bypass detection and
Similarly, to disconnect meter from load remotely, energy theft, Atmega2560 will receive the value of
*00# command is sent from the Supply Authority’s average current measured from the wireless
designated GSM capable device by an operator. miniature current transducer and records it. This
This message is received by SIM900 in the transmission of signal to the microcontroller by the
Prepayment Energy Meter and transmits same to CT will be every second. The microcontroller
Atmega2560 for interpretation and execution. Once compares this value with the value of current
the command is interpreted to be correct, it sends a measured by the meter CT within the same second
disconnection message through the NPN transistor and establish if the current measured by the meter
to the circuit breaker and disconnects the meter CT (CTM) is less than that of the CT (CTP) on the
from the load and the load remains disconnected pole. If this is established, the Atmega2560
unless remotely connected. In remote connection, microcontroller sends a ‘Meter bypassed’ SMS
*00# command is sent from the Supply Authority’s containing the meter number through SIM900 to
designated GSM capable device by an operator. the supply authority for appropriate action.
This message is received by SIM900 in the

Fig. 8. Tamper message alert and Response from reactivation command

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Fig. 9. Remote disconnection and connection of meter commands

V. ECONOMIC COST EVALUATION resolution too, as the consumer will be forced to
The developed Prototype Single Phase rate of ₦389 log a former report due to supply cut-off by the
per dollar with an inflation rate 18.56%. At present, meter. The knowledge of this by electricity
an average existing commercial Single Prepayment consumers with meters of this technology will deter
meter cost ₦42710 from the Bill of Engineering them from attempting any form of tampering as it
Measurement and Evaluation (BEME) at an will be obvious to them that the offence will be
exchange Phase Prepayment meter cost ₦39375 reported automatically to the Supply Authority.
and these meters are mass produced to achieve this Hence, it is a technology that can bring about
cost. Meanwhile, the existing meters are limited in positive attitudinal change on the part of the
capabilities especially GSM SMS communication, consumers towards tampering and energy theft.
therefore the additional cost difference of ₦3335 is This positive attitudinal change will in turn help to
insignificant compared to the value improvement boast the revenue of the companies as theft of
on the developed meter. Under mass production, energy and meter tampering will be reduce greatly.
the developed Single Phase Prepayment meter will
be far less costly than the existing prepayment The remote disconnection and connection on the
meter, thereby making it more appropriate for other hand will help in avoiding confrontations
adoption and use in the country as it is cost friendly with difficult erring consumers who needs to be
compare to the existing meters. disconnected from supply as there will not be any
physical contact or presence to effect such
VI. DISCUSSION disconnection and connection. It therefore helps in
Automatic tamper detection and reporting system reducing hazard to staff, labour and cost of carrying
has been successfully developed in this research. out disconnection and connection of consumers’
The performance test results obtained, which are load on the distribution network.
sample messages of its operations of this system
The proposed energy theft through external bypass
are shown in Fig. 8 and 9. The results show success
is not a complex configuration that will be difficult
in tamper detection, reporting and reactivation
to achieve. Though, it uses a consumption
processes; remote disconnection and connection of
comparison method, it is different from several
meter.
proposed models as it uses current as the major
parameter which is a vital component to determine
With this system, Supply Authorities are now
energy consumption. Again, this method does not
equipped with the necessary machinery that could
need extra monitoring meter or system to be
be used in proving cases of meter tampering and
installed on the pole or on the transformer to
energy theft against erring consumers as records of
receive readings of energy consumption from the
such events are sent in SMS to the Authority. This
meters. By this design, external bypass of prepaid
technology is particularly helpful to the Supply
meters can be effectively checked.
Authorities as it prevents power supply to the
consumers load immediately tamper occurs. The VI. CONCLUSION
consumer remains disconnected from power even if
The developed Automatic tamper reporting system
he/she undo the tampering till the meter is
along with the proposed bypass detection as well as
reactivated by the Supply Authority. Meter cannot
be reactivated until either the consumers report the remote connection and disconnection system
themselves or the Supply Authority staff visit to for Energy Meter is very important to electricity
distribution companies as it will help in curbing
investigate and sanction the erring consumers
energy theft and meter tampering. This is
appropriately. Therefore, there is timeliness in
particularly so as it has an SMS alert system which
identifying tampering and energy theft cases and its

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is triggered at the moment of tampering and Metering System”, PhD Thesis,

establishment of bypass. Also, it will enable the University of Benin, Benin City, Edo
distribution companies to carry out infraction State, Nigeria, July, 2017.
investigation promptly if the offender refused to
report. Again, by the outcome of this work, the
distribution companies can effectively connect and
disconnect meter remotely as maybe required. It is
therefore very pertinent that stakeholders in the
electricity metering subsector should incorporate
the technology into their metering technology in
Nigeria to maximize the benefit of reduced meter
infractions.
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IEEE NIGERCON 2017

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