Electrokit | IADB

Operations, Commercial and Financial Investment technologies

Investment technologies

Prioritize investments in technology and smart metering technologies. Investments made to deploy technology tools such as Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI) or Automated Metering Reading (AMR), supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA), modern business systems, database management, user access authorization, and exception analysis should be prioritized. These investments should be preceded by cost-benefit analysis that justifies them and demonstrate their contribution to the loss reduction program. Having a system focused on combating non-technical losses and integrating the information available from the client are important steps for the utility to move towards digital transformation, including introducing business intelligence (BI) with tools and resources to perform BI/analytics to identify consumers or transformers with non-commercial losses.

(i) proper asset management processes, having an annual procedure that avoids the misuse of transformers (with very low or high loads), electrical networks, network sectioning, load balancing and the installation of capacitor banks to reduce technical losses.

(ii) having shielded network and measurement system as the application of shielded measurement box with attached telemetry (multiple meters/clients) that prevents clients from accessing meters with remote disconnection, as well as shielded LV networks. Also includes anti-theft network configurations using twisted cable in secondary network and bi-coaxial cable in the service drop, which are difficult to tap9 ;

(iii) having totalizing measurement in the transformer in pre-selected transformers and feeders. Install a totalizing measurement set to collect monthly readings and determine the energy consumption with the monitored period to determine potential energy loss sites, and

(iv) using GIS/mapping systems as these tools help reduce assumptions for loss calculations, develop more precise engineering models, and have more accurate results when sampling is not possible.

Infrastructure plan

Establish a dedicated infrastructure investment plan in the distribution network and secure resources to reduce vulnerability and adulteration of equipment and connections. Provide modern meter facilities with monitoring facilities and an engineering sector in charge of technically analyzing the technical losses of the system and seeking new technical solutions

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Commercial systems

Strengthen access to and functionality of the commercial systems. Experience has shown the importance of making regular checks of personnel that have access to the company’s business and billing systems, as well as performing analysis of the data stored in the Customer Management System (CMS). Access to the billing systems and database of customers should be limited as much as possible within the utility, which should carryout regular audits and verification of who has access to what part of the billing system.

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Baseline and master plan

Establish a baseline and quantification of the losses as part of a diagnostic to be followed by specific study. Utilities need to develop a baseline distinguishing and calculating technical and non-technical losses and their evolution over time with a definition of “as is” – the present situation and starting point. The quantification would be expressed in technical and monetary terms.

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Organization

Establish unit dedicated to losses within the utility. Most programs are accompanied by an activity to strengthen the organizational capacity of the utility, helping to structure a unit responsible for losses and providing the necessary skills and competences. The composition of the unit should be multidisciplinary, and it should have autonomy given by senior management with proper governance arrangements

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