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Tackling Power Theft through Meter

Data Management and Quality Analysis

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Results from NPCL’s AMR roll out and

AMI trial

R. C. Agarwala

23rd May 2013

NOIDA POWER COMPANY LIMITED Greater Noida, India

NPCL: At a Glance…

• First Private Electricity Distribution Company, post independence

• Commenced operations in Dec’93

• No. of Connections: 61,500 (40% Rural)

• Peak Load : 250 MW

• Area : 335 Sq km

• Fast developing industrial township near New Delhi

• Recently hosted ADB Summit-attended by more than 50 countries

• Formula-1 Race Track, Expressway connecting Agra fully functional

• First Power Discom to Successfully achieve ISO 9001:2008 Certification for all its Functions

• Accredited with OHSAS 18001 and IS 27001 certification

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Licensed Area

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Tackling Power Theft-A Big Challenge !

• Unmetered supply

• Electro Mechanical meters

• Manual meter readings

• Meter bypass / Non-payment of electricity bills

• “Theft” of Electricity is not considered as “Theft”

• Negligible action by Police / Courts

• Significant political interference at local level

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Power Supply Chain- Vicious Circle

Theft / Non-payment

Arrear to Genco/ Trader

Restricted Supply to Discom

Load Shedding

Political Interference

Dis-Satisfied Consumer

Sweating Network

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Electricity Act-2003: Legal Provisions

• Theft of Electricity, Electric line & Materials well defined

• Interference with works / networks also defined

• Utility’s Authorised Officers empowered to: Enter premises

Undertake search & seizure

Examine books of accounts, documents

• Offence punishable with fine & imprisonment

• States empowered to set up Special Police Station and Special Courts for fast-track trial

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NPCL’s Strategy

Management Initiatives

Network

Best practices

Productivity

Social Intervention

Investment Technology Application

Supply Management in Rural area

Overall Capacity Building

Metering, Billing &

Collection

Process & System

Automation

Promote Energy

Efficiency

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Management Initiatives…

• Metering Electronic meters with AMR for 4 kW & above consumers

Replacement of Electromechanical meters in rural area

Pre-paid meters for Government / non-paying consumers

Meter Test Lab of 0.02 Class accuracy

• Billing Electronic transfer of meter data from MDAS

Meter reading data for single phase consumers using hand-held devices

• Collection Net-banking and ATM for cash collection

Mobile Collection van

Periodical collection camps

Tie up with collection agencies having outlets in neighborhood markets

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Supply Management in Rural Areas…

• Social Intervention Technology alone does not work in rural areas

People’s need to be identified and tailor-made solutions required

Consumer awareness and education through Street Theatre

Village Contact Persons (VCPs) from each village deployed for MBC

Trained VCPs upgraded to Input Based Franchisee operators

Demand Side Management:

promotion of energy efficient pumps along-with USAID

Promotion of CFL

Metered supply

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Technology Applications…

• IT implementation

SAP implementation to integrate metering, billing & collection

SAP- Energy Data Management

SAP-legal, Plant maintenance, projects, inventory, sales & distribution and

FICO

Periodic testing of all meters using SAP Modules

MDAS: Consumer billing, tamper analysis, Energy Audit and Network

GIS

SCADA

Online reports for management analysis

CEO-Dash Board

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Technology Applications- contd…

• Network

Segregation of network for rural consumers with HT metering at strategic

locations

Separate feeders for Water pumps & Street lights

Elimination of bare conductor by ABC

HVDS

• TQM Implementation

Employees training on TQM tools for identification of problem, designing of

solution

Ethical and behavioural trainings to employees

System based approach for strong monitoring and controlling of processes

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1997

HVDS

2001

SCADA

/GIS

2003

24 X 7

Call

Center 2004

AMR

2005

SAP

2006

VCP,

2007

ATM,

SMS

2008

ISO

2009

OSHAS 2010

LPR

2011

On Line Grid Mgt

Investment for

Excellence…..

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Results…

• Meter Failure Rate < 0.5%

• Billing complaints < 0.05%

• Collection Efficiency > 99.4%

• Transformer failure rate <1.5%

• T&D Losses < 8.0%

• O&M Expenses/MHW <US$5.5

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Thank You

Contact:

AGARWALARC@NOIDAPOWER.COM

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