WCA May 2016

India

Insight

Using technology in the fight against power theft

TATA Power Delhi Distribution (TPDDL) is using technology interventions to track power theft in north and northwest Delhi. Power thieves are using advanced technologies tomanipulate energy recording and display of meters through external means that generally do not leave any evidence of theft. To curb power theft TPDDL has installed automated meter reading based energy systems at the distribution transformer level and undertaken four levels of energy audits of all distribution transformers on a regular basis. This helps in identification of areas in terms of energy mismatch and hence provides actionable inputs for enforcement teams. TPDDL also undertakes four levels of energy audit to identify areas with increased theft related issues and has established a special lab to analyse the effects of meter tampering, working with manufacturers to make the meters tamper proof.

The company has also extensively replaced bare LT conductors with LT ABC conductor and undertaken metering of unmetered consumers including slum clusters. Commenting on the action, Praveer Sinha, CEO and managing director of TPDDL, said: “Power theft is a curse on our society and it is the honest consumers who are burdened unnecessarily. We are determined to stop this menace in our distribution network by using foolproof technology interventions.” Through the employment of

❍ Praveer Sinha, CEO and managing director of TPDDL

technologies, and with improvements in billing and collection efficiency, TPDDL has already decreased aggregate technical and commercial losses to nine per cent from 53 per cent in 2002. Tata Power – India Website : www.tatapower-ddl.com

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Wire & Cable ASIA – May/June 2016