A novel remote detection method of illegal electricity usage based on smart resistance

Abstract

A power delivery system that uses power line communication can communicate with other electrical systems, monitor the quality of electrical energy, and create an economical solution for automatic meter reading. If we use a smart meter with the smart resistance proposed in this paper, we can easily add an illegal electricity usage detection capability to an electrical power delivery system for automatic meter reading. The main current of the circuit can be calculated from the value of the smart resistance and compares it with the measured main current. A mismatch between the measured current and the calculated current implies there is either illegal electricity usage inside the smart meter's circuit. This paper presents the architecture of the system, the algorithm of the detection system, the model of the system, and the results of the simulation. © 2011 Springer-Verlag.