Reason of Fast Running of Electronic Meters and its Rectification

Reason of Fast Running of Electronic Meters and its Rectification

Old conventional electro-mechnical meters were having only one measuring current coil which is in phase circuit. Metered energy / billed energy through the meters are based on phase current. Such meters are sluggish in nature & consumers are easily fiddling with the meters to register less consumption and reduced billing. Utilities were facing huge commercial loss due to theft of electricity. So utilities are opting to replace the conventional meters with electronic meters.

Single phase electronic meters are having two current coils, one in phase and second neutral circuit. Metered energy / billed energy is based on highest current of the two current coils. When wiring of the house is neat & clean, the current flow in phase & neutral circuit are same. But when the wiring of the house are not proper i.e. mesh, there is every chance that current in one of the measuring coil is more and energy metered / energy billed through the meters is more that the actual consumption.

If the neutral circuit of your neighboring house/flat is mixed with your neutral circuit, there is every chance that the neutral current of neighboring house/flat will flow through the neutral current coil of your energy meter. This will increase the current flow in the neutral current coil of your energy meter and consequently the metered energy of your energy meter will increase significantly resulting high billing of electricity.

 For neighbor:
Current is pahse coil = I1
Current in neutral coil = I2
Maximum of the two currents = I1
Metered energy / billed energy will be based on current of I1. So neighbor will be billed correctly.

For Your House:
Current in phase coil = I1
Current in neutral coil  = I1+I2
Maximum of the two current = I1+I2
So Metered / billed energy of your house will be base on current of I1+I2. So your electricity bill of your house will be more. (Your consumption + Neighbor's consumption) and you will have to pay more without your fault. Fault may be in the wiring of neighbour.
 
How to check:Remove the fuse of phase circuit of your energy meter keeping fuse of neutral circuit intact.
Check the energy meter, if still running, it may be concluded that neutral circuit of your neighboring house/flat is mixed with your neutral circuit.

Fault Rectification:Call the qualified electrician and isolate your neutral circuit from neutral circuit of your neighboring house/flat. Repeat the above check and ensure that energy meter is not running if fuse of phase circuit is out.

Similarly, when neutral circuit of your house is not connected with neutral of the electronic meter the meter will calculated billed energy based on normative voltage i.e. 250 V. During that period if the phase voltage is 220 V, your billing will be 250/220 times more i.e. 14% more than actual consumption.

To declare 11 KV feeder as profit centre

Present Status: (In most of the Electricity Distribution Circles)
· At present profit & loss accounting is being done at Division Level.
· Profit/Loss account at Division level is not transparent due to following reasons:
Ø Energy meters are not installed at most of the sub-stations at 33 KV input.
Ø Single 33 KV feeders is feeding power to more than one sub-station/division and proper energy accounting is not being followed at junction points.
Ø Energy Input to most of the sub-stations are being considered on assumption / assessment basis.
Ø At some places energy is being fed from one sub-station/Division and revenue realization is from other sub-station/Division. Energy auditing for cross fencing power is not being monitored.
Ø 100% electronic metering at 11 KV feeders has not yet been completed.
Ø There is no monitoring for energy balancing at sub-station level.( Energy input & energy out put from a sub-station is not being monitored)

Suggestion:
· Energy accounting of each sub-station at 33 KV should be done.
· 11 KV or 6.6 KV feeders should be 100% electronically metered.
· Energy balancing at each sub-station should be done on daily basis.
· Ring fencing of 11 KV feeders should be properly monitored for energy accounting and suitable metering should be done for cross fencing supply.
· After completing above jobs all the DTs of each feeder should be electronically metered.
· DT metering is the most feasible solution for localizing the theft prone area of a feeder.
· Feeder wise consumer detail should be available.

With the completion of above job, 11 KV feeders can be auctioned/out sourced one by one for revenue realization through bid.

Base price of energy (Rs./unit) of each feeder should be justified by considering the % energy loss on that particular feeder. Base price should not be less than energy input cost.

EMD of the contract should be more than 50% of monthly energy input cost of that particular feeder.

With this arrangement each 11 KV feeder can be declared as profit center.