A Microcontroller-Based Intelligent Electricity Theft Detection and Prevention System

• Damilare L. ADEKEYE

  Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria

  Author

• Uche M. IROKA

  Department of Electrical & Electronics Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Minna, Nigeria

  Author

Electricity theft is a major non-technical loss affecting the power sector, wherein consumers bypass energy meters to consume more electricity than paid for. This practice poses a significant financial threat to utility providers, resulting in revenue losses and hindering the development of the power industry. Various research efforts have explored techniques to curb electricity fraud, including communication systems, the Internet of Things (IoT), and machine learning. However, challenges persist due to inadequate real-time monitoring and ineffective tracking of consumption patterns. To address this issue, this paper proposes a microcontroller-based electricity theft detection system utilizing the Arduino ATmega328P for intelligent monitoring. The system incorporates a GSM module, current and voltage sensors, a relay, and a keypad interface. The system was tested under two conditions, normal operation and operation with bypass load, across 10 different load scenarios. It achieved 100% classification accuracy, successfully detecting all five cases of electricity theft while maintaining uninterrupted service for the remaining five authorized loads. Experimental results confirm the system’s ability to detect unauthorized load connections, automatically trip the relay to cut off power, and send a theft alert via SMS. Reactivation of the system requires the input of an authenticated password through the keypad module. The proposed system demonstrates high effectiveness in real-time theft detection, offering a cost-effective and reliable solution for improving power distribution security and minimizing non-technical losses.

• FJET_12_13_6

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