Development of methods for detection and location of non-technical losses exploring smart meters

• Grant number: 13/20016-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: December 01, 2013
• End date: May 31, 2014
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Electrical Engineering - Power Systems
• Principal Investigator: Walmir de Freitas Filho
• Grantee: Thiago Sonnewend Diniz Ferreira
• Supervisor: Wilsun Xu
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Elétrica e de Computação (FEEC). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of Alberta, Canada
• Associated to the scholarship: 13/09765-0 - Development of methods for detection and location of non-technical losses exploring smart meters, BP.MS

Abstract

Several methods have been proposed to identify non-technical losses in distribution systems; however there is no established technique. The ongoing M.Sc. research associated to this Research Internship Abroad (BEPE-MS) application intents to develop effective methods for the detection and location of non-technical losses exploring smart meters potential capabilities. In Brazil and in several other countries, there is a growing awareness of non-technical losses, which are associated to energy theft, nonpayment and measurements inaccuracy. The numbers related to this problem are impressive: all around the world about US$ 200 billion are lost annually because of energy theft and equipment failures. Even though one may assume that non-technical loss is a problem linked to poor or emergent countries, Canada faces serious non-technical losses problems associated to the marijuana growing operation. Therefore, Professor Wilsun Xu, from University of Alberta (UofA), works with Canadian industries to develop methods for non-technical losses detection and location, and the interaction with his research team may improve the quality of this M.Sc. work. Another important feature of Canadian distribution networks is the higher penetration of smart meters compared to Brazilian scenario. Consequently, the applicant and his supervisor, Dr. Walmir Freitas, understand that a period of six months in UofA will be valuable for the enhancement of this research. (AU)