ELECTRICITY

THEFT
A MAJOR ISSUE IN POWER
INDUSTRY
PRESENTED BY:
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FAEQ AZIM
MOHD. HUZAIFA
SAYEMA SAMDANI

CONTENTS

Introduction

Indias generation capacity

Indias consumption capacity
Deficit
Electricity theft
Major causes of electricity theft
Measures to control theft
Conclusion

INTRODUCTION
Many developing countries confront widespread theft of
electricity from government owned power utilities.
In India electricity theft leads to annual losses estimated
at US$4.5 billion, about 1.5 percent of GDP.
Who are the losers??
Honest consumers, poor people, and those without
connections, who bear the burden of high tariffs, system
inefficiencies, and inadequate and unreliable power
supply.
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INDIAS GENERATION CAPACITY

The Installed Capacity of the country as on 31st
December, 2011 was 1,86, 655 MW as depicted

DEFICIT
India has been facing growing shortages over the past
five years.
During the year 2007-08
peak deficit:8,000 MW (16.5%)
average energy shortage:73 Billion kWh (10%).
During the year 2008-09
peak deficit 13,000 MW (12%)
average energy shortage: 86 Billion kWh (11%).
During the year 2009-10
peak deficit:5,157 MW (12.7%)
average energy shortage:84 Billion kWh (10.1%).

ELECTRICITY
THEFT

WHAT IS ELECTRICITY THEFT.???

It is the use of electrical power without a contract
with a supplier with total or partial bypassing
metering system

OR
Interfering this system in the way to adulterate
its measurements.

MAJOR CAUSES OF ELECTRICITY

THEFT
Absence of accountability.
Inadequate and ineffective enforcement of law.
Political protection
influential customers.

to

employees

and

Customer attitude: Immoral to steal from

neighbor but legitimate to steal from state.
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WHERE DOES ELECTRICITY THEFT

OCCUR MOST COMMONLY

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ELECTRICITY THEFT METHODS

Meters:
Tampering with meters and seals
By-passing the meters
Damaging or removing meters

Wires/ Cables:
Illegal tapping to bare wires or underground cables
Transformers:
Illegal terminal taps of overhead lines on the low
side of the transformer
Billing irregularities made by meter readers.
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Unpaid bills by individuals, government institutions

and untouchable VIPs.

FEW OTHER WAYSFOR POWER

THEFT

Use of single phasesupply from three phase supply.

Disconnected neutral from boththe ends.
Used earth/separate neutral for return circuit.
Connecting phase voltage to neutral of used single
phase supply. Potential difference w.r.t. neutral of
usedsingle phasesupply iszero. Hence power product of
voltage and current, will be zero.
Isolating neutral from both ends.

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THEFT OCCURS WHEN:

An illegal consumer(not a registered customer)
steals directly from the distribution lines or from
another legal customer.
A legal customer(registered customer) steals
either bypassing the meter (connecting around the
meter to a live cable on the company side of the meter)
or tampering with the meter to make it read less or no
consumption.
There is a collusion between the customer and a
company employee to reduce the amount paid to the
company (with lower side payments to the employee in14
return).

LOSSES FROM DELHI PRIVATISATION PROCESS BSES

EXPERIENCE BY J P CHALASANI,CEO OF R POWER

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METER TAMPERING

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ILLEGAL WIRING

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OTHER WAYS TO STEAL ELECTRICITY

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HOW CAN ELECTRICITY THEFT BE

REDUCED

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NON TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS

Financial rewards:
Utilitycompanies encourage consumers to report
electricity theft

Periodic checks:
Electricity theftfrequently takes place after service has
been disconnected. Some utility companies periodically
check disconnected meters ifthe customer has
notcontacted them to reconnect service.
Enforcement of law: Fines should be imposed by the
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government for stealing electricity.

Taps, makes or causes to be made any connection with

overhead, underground or under water lines or cables, or
service wires, or service facilities of a licensee;
Tampers a meter, installs or uses a tampered meter, current
reversing transformer, loop connection or any other device or
method which interferes with accurate or proper
registration, calibration or metering of electric current or
otherwise results in a manner whereby electricity is stolen
or wasted.
Damages or destroys an electric meter, apparatus,
equipment, or wire or causes or allows any of them to be so
damaged or destroyed as to interfere with the proper or
accurate metering of electricity, so as to abstract or consume
or use electricity shall be punishable with imprisonment
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for a term which may extend to three years or with
fine or with both.

TECHNICAL SOLUTIONS
Electronic tamper detection meter
Pre payment meters
Plastic meter encasements
Anti theft cable
Using GSM
Using PLCs
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Electronic Tamper Detection Meters

Automatic detection of :
Meter tamper
Meter Bypass
Meter disconnection

Pre-Payments Meters
Credit added to the meter on
the keypad.
Credit is purchased on the
recharegable token and entered
to the meter with disconnection
ability

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Plastic meter encasements

Hard plastic encasements are a
type of meter seal. These
transparent plastic covers serve
as a warning.

Anti theft cable

Plastic layer
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USING GSMs

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REFERENCES

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THANK YOU

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