Design and implementation of an automatic tamper detection and reporting capability for a single phase energy meter

Abstract

In this paper, the design and implementation of automatic tamper detection and reporting capability of Energy meter was carried out. The system has the capability to detect bypass internally on the meter and externally on the service cables from the electric pole. It also incorporates wireless disconnection and connection of load capabilities. This becomes imperative as a result of high rate of energy theft that arises from meter tampering. The system comprises of a developed Single Phase Prepayment Energy Meter and the supply authority Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) capable device platform. The meter is made of the energy meter IC, two microcontrollers which are suitably programmed in C++, one for Energy measurement and the other for monitoring of meter activities especially terminal tamper and communications. It also has the tamper switch, the circuit breaker and the GSM modem (SIM900) which is interfaced to the monitoring microcontroller. The modem is used for communication particularly in Short Message Service (SMS) form with the supply authority. The server and the Application Platform communicates with the meter using developed commands available to only the supply authority. The use of Wireless Current Transducers (WCT) for the detection of energy theft through external bypass of the Prepaid Meter was also proposed to be incorporated in the system. The results obtained show satisfactory tamper detection and reporting as well as wireless connection with 100% success rate recorded as implemented.