RELIABLE ELECTRICITY METERING SYSTEMS REVENUE MANAGEMENT ... Enhancement/Master Class... · RELIABLE ELECTRICITY METERING SYSTEMS – REVENUE MANAGEMENT Nathi & Ntsiki Nkwanyana &

RELIABLE ELECTRICITY METERING

SYSTEMS – REVENUE MANAGEMENT

Nathi & Ntsiki Nkwanyana & Mpiyakhe Mashinini

CONTENTS

Introduction

Meter Engineering Vs Revenue Protection

Procurements of Meters

Revenue Protection Projects

Disconnections & Reconnections

Sweep (Meter Inspections) – Residential & Business Customers (CT Driven

Meters

Installation of Split Prepayment Meters

Removal of Illegal Services

Forensic Investigation

Electrification of Informal Settlements

Protective Structures

Conclusion

The main parameters which define the Electricity Unit (EU) are:

Area of Supply: 2 000 km²

Number of Customers: 711 095 (95% of formalised dwellings)

Number of Employees: Est. 2 300

Peak Demand & Sales: 1 828 MW & 10 745 GWh

Annual Turnover: R 9,4 billion (2012/2013)

Asset Value: R 18,3 billion

Voltage Levels: *275 kV, 132 kV, 33 kV, 11 kV

(*Only municipality with this voltage level.)

Electricity is extremely dangerous, life-threatening and cannot be seen.

It is an essential service required 24 hours a day, 365,days a year. It has huge social

and economic impacts if not managed properly.

Highly technical business requiring highly competent engineering personnel to make

effective decisions to ensure safety compliance in terms of the OHS Act and ensure

electrical network availability.

INTRODUCTION

OUR PROFILE

INTRODUCTION …

Distribution of Revenue From Sales

TOTAL % ENERGY LOSSES – ETHEKWINI

ELECTRICITY

0

2

4

6

8

10

90/91 93/94 96/97 99/00 .02/03 .05/06 .08/09 .11/12

TOTAL % ENERGY LOSSES

TOTAL % ENERGY LOSSES – OTHER

MUNICIPALITY – E…ARTICLE

% Losses

City of Tshwane 11

City Power (Johannesburg) 22

Ekurhuleni 11

eThekwnini (Durban) 6

City of Cape Town 9

Buffalo City (East London) 11

Nelson Mandela Bay (Port Elizabeth) 10

Mangaung-Centlec 11

Electricity losses:

% Losses

Nquthu (KZN) 63

Nxuba (Adelaide) 47

Ngwathe (Parys) 45

Gariep (Burgersdorp) 42

Ulundi 41

Ditsobotla (Lichtenburg) 40

Msukaligwa (Ermelo) 39

Madibeng (Brits) 38

Thembelihle (Hopetown) 37

Govan Mbeki (Secunda) 36

TOTAL % ENERGY LOSSES – OTHER

MUNICIPALITY – WORST PERFORMERS

METER ENGINEERING VS REVENUE

PROTECTION

METER ENGINEERING

The Meter Engineering Branch is responsible for :-

Planning, designing, construction, inspection and maintenance of all commercial

and industrial metering equipment used for billing purposes.

The acquisition, specification and commissioning of new metering technologies.

REVENUE PROTECTION DEFINATION

The steps and actions taken by the utility to Prevent, Eliminate, Minimise and

recover any loss of revenue due to theft or non-payment for services supplied to

consumers.

The principles and practices used for the protection of the environment and

consumers to ensure their safety from any harm, injury and electrocution due to the

unauthorized use of electricity.

UNCERTAINTY OF MESUREMENTS

A MARGIN OF DOUBT

Tolerance

Testing

Calibration

REDUCING UNCERTAINTY

Customer Services Branch

Revenue Protection

Branch

Meter Engineering

Branch

METER ENGINEERING BRANCH

• The measurement processes and established rules

Technical Specifications – all types of meters.

All CT/VT driven meters (installation and maintenance)

• Good practice – traceable Calibration and record keeping Test and

calibration

REVENUE PROTECTION BRANCH

• Controlling and managing the uncertainty in the measurement (readings , tampering, meter management )

None Technical Management

• Controlling and managing the uncertainty in the revenue collection (Disconnections) Revenue

Protection

• Controlling and minimize the uncertainty in the network (illegal connections)

Network

REVENUE PROTECTION PROJECTS

Disconnections & reconnections

Meter inspections – Residential & CT Driven Meter Inspection.

The Removal of Illegal connections

Forensic Investigation.

Protective Structures

Strategic Projects :- Installation of Split Prepayment Meters & Electrification of

Informal Settlements.

DISCONNECTIONS & RECONNECTIONS

There are five basic types of disconnections, the reconnections being the reversal of the disconnection process: Normal Disconnections Doctored Disconnection. Hard Disconnections. Remove all Gear (R.A.G.) Service Cable Removal Disconnection

TYPES OF DISCONNECTIONS

DISCONNECTIONS PROCESS

Billing & Customer Mgt Systems

Pending disconnect

ion Pool

Overnight Printing

Field work Execution

Telephone Feedback from the

field

Manual Data

Capture

DISCONNECTIONS & RECONNECTIONS

Financial Year Total No. of

Disconnections

Total No. of

Reconnection

s

Monthly

Average –

DO`s

Recon:Disc

on ratio

2005/2006 129 432 93 520 10 786 0.72

2006/2007 123 047 88 486 10 254 0.72

2007/2008 151 717 114 096 12 643 0.75

2008/2009 173 621 129 020 14 468 0.74

2009/2010 207 473 160 428 17 289 0.77

2010/2011 218 861 166 490 18 238 0.76

DISCONNECTION CHALLENGES

Challenges

T-Joints

Consumer refuses access

Vacant properties

Level 1 Disconnector

unable to climb poles

Resolutions

Cutting in of CDUs

Use of GIS to locate supply

Ascertain owner contact details

Request supervisors to

do the disconnection

INSTALLATION OF SPLIT PREPAYMENT

METERS

CT DRIVEN METER INSPECTIONS

THE REMOVAL OF ILLEGAL CONNECTION

Revenue Protection started pilot project in 2006 to protect meter

kiosks.

Asset protection to ensure minimal energy losses (non-technical).

Protective enclosures over meter kiosks to prevent unauthorised

access and damage.

Enclosure has high security features.

It can be monitored and controlled remotely

THE PROTECTIVE STRUCTURES

Meter Room doors were vandalised

Tenants were tampering with units

Loss of revenue

THE PROTECTIVE STRUCTURES

Revenue Protection started pilot project in 2006 to protect meter

kiosks.

Asset protection to ensure minimal energy losses (non-technical).

Protective enclosures over meter kiosks to prevent unauthorised

access and damage.

Enclosure has high security features.

It can be monitored and controlled remotely

THE PROTECTIVE STRUCTURES

3 Variations

THE PROTECTIVE STRUCTURES

9 Way/CDU 16 Way 2x 16 Way

VARIATIONS

THE PROTECTIVE STRUCTURES

LV door access - front HV door access - rear

Revenue generation - Consumers pay for electricity

Assets protected – No tampering/ vandalism

Improved monitoring

Increased safety

THE PROTECTIVE STRUCTURES

OUTCOME

The provision of electricity leads to job creation, and a

subsequent rise in disposable income in a community.

A standard has been developed by Electricity Department to

safely electrify informal settlements.

Most of communities living in the informal settlements have been

without electricity for over 15 years.

Most of these communities are indigent as per Council policy and

should qualify for free basic electricity after the connections have

been made.

THE ELECTRIFICATION OF INFORMAL

SETTLEMENTS

The provision of electricity leads to job creation, and a

subsequent rise in disposable income in a community

A standard has been developed by Electricity Department

to safely electrify informal settlements.

Most of communities living in the informal settlements

have been without electricity for over 15 years.

– Most of these communities are indigent as per

Council policy and should qualify for free basic

electricity after the connections have been made.

THE ELECTRIFICATION OF INFORMAL

SETTLEMENTS

The Council resolution was taken to not supply electricity

where there are following issues:

Houses built where there is soil erosion

Houses built on and around the swamp / flood – prone areas

Houses built underneath High Voltage line and around that

servitude

Houses built on road / Spoornet or Rail servitudes

Houses built where there are environmental issues

Houses built on Private land

Houses built where there are any other Health and Safety

hazards

THE ELECTRIFICATION OF INFORMAL

SETTLEMENTS

Service pole next to an informal dwelling

Mounting bracket supported on a service

pole

Ready board inside an informal dwelling

Example of the project that did not meet the

criteria

Example of the project that did not meet the criteria

Cont…

Example of the Transit Camp project

Example of the Transit Camp project Cont…

Example of the Transit Camp project Cont…

CONCLUSION

Real measurements are never made under perfect conditions.

Flaws in the measurement may be visible or invisible.