Electricity fraud in low-voltage (LV) networks can cause economic losses, voltage imbalances, and infrastructure degradation, while also compromising service quality and creating safety risks such as electrical fires and electrocution. A common form of fraud involves manipulating electricity meters to report lower energy consumption to reduce bill costs. However, detecting these fraudulent activities has become more difficult as smart meters no longer require on-site inspections, which previously helped identify tampering.
To address this challenge, UFD has implemented, in collaboration with Ariadna Grid, a fully automated meter tampering detection system using shunts. The detection system uses data from feeder sensors and smart meters and applies artificial intelligence to trigger tampering alerts and calculate detailed energy losses. By monitoring over 3 million smart meters, the system prompts targeted inspections every week with 95% detection accuracy.
