Revenue improvement from intelligent metering systems

The deregulation of the power sector has ended monopoly of utilities and introduced a competitive environment, forcing the utilities to look for ways and means to improve their revenues. In order to achieve revenue improvement, it is essential to measure the energy consumed accurately, render bills quickly and collect the amount promptly. The universal problem faced by all the utilities across the world in ensuring the correct measurement of energy consumed is the commercial losses. The problem is more acute in developing countries where the commercial losses vary from 10-40%. The commercial losses are attributed to intentional act of unscrupulous persons indulging in pilferage, defective metering, wrong meter reading, unmetered supply and malpractice in usage of energy. The meter being the equipment for measuring the energy consumed, is the target for tampering. There are several ways and methods in which it can be deliberately tampered or damaged. The most effective way to curb commercial losses is to use intelligent/smart electronic meters, which makes theft of energy more difficult and easily detectable. Another measure for improvement of revenues, which deserves attention, is reduction of time lag between delivery of energy and rendering of bills and also between the issue of bills and collection of amounts. Andhra Pradesh State Electricity Board (APSEB) in India has undertaken several innovative steps for revenue improvement using intelligent metering systems. This paper presents the techniques used and implemented by APSEB to generate additional revenues