Study of application of power line carrier (PLC) in automated meter reading (AMR) and evaluating non-technical loss

Abstract

In the modern world the usage of Power Line Carrier (PLC) is spreading as it is very cheap, simple, easy to deployment and uses the existing power supply line and infrastructure. However, in Bangladesh PLC is used only by the power transmission authorities to maintain their own communication system, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) and Load Dispatching. This tradition can be changed by PLCs versatile applications in conventional residential building, home automation, commercial application and in several exploitable on-line condition monitoring of electrical appliance. This can be achieved at lower cost as extra networking systems are not needed. PLC can also be utilized in Multimedia Signal Distribution, Broadband over Power Lines (BPL), Internet Phone, Internet Service and Telecommunication. The devices like PLC modem, PLC Base/ Master Station, PLC Repeater and Gateway can replace the traditional networking equipments. As it uses the existing power transmission line and infrastructure, it can be implemented quickly and easily in everywhere in the country. In this research work, the development of Power Line Carrier (PLC) is concentrated in Automated Meter Reading (AMR) Systems and Evaluating Non-Technical Loss (NTL) i.e Detection of Illegal Electricity Usage. If an AMR system via PLC is set in a power delivery system, a detection system for illegal electricity usage may be easily added in the existing PLC network. In the detection system, a digital energy meter chip will be used to store the value of energy. The recorded energy will be compared with the value at the main kilo Watt-hour meter. In the case of the difference between two recorded energy data, an error signal will be generated and this error signal will indicate the illegal electricity usage with specific identification. The proposed systems will provide quick and reliable meter reading collection with less error, few technical people’s involvement and eliminates the need of physically reading the meters. The system will also save many hours of billing time as billing employees will not have to manually input meter readings. In recent days, illegal electricity usage has been a major problem in our country. Hence the utilization of PLC in automated and remote detection of illegal electricity usage can be a novel solution to detect the consumer involved with Illegal Electricity Usage specifically. It will also increase the revenue earning of power distribution authorities.