Detecting and Locating Non-Technical Losses in Modern Distribution Networks

Author(s)

Leite, Jonatas Boas ^[1] ; Sanches Mantovani, Jose Roberto ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] UNESP, FEIS, Elect Engn Dept, BR-15385000 Ilha Solteira - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON SMART GRID; v. 9, n. 2, p. 1023-1032, MAR 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 15

Abstract

The recent addition of information and communication technologies in electric power distribution systems has introduced a new class of electricity theft or nontechnical loss. Energy consumption data can be hidden and altered through cyber-attacks that are characterized by the unauthorized access to the application database and digital tampering of smart meters. The development of cost-efficient algorithms to address these types of nontechnical losses also targets the reduction of commercial losses because the full protection of an information system is very expensive. Thus, this paper proposes a strategy to detect nontechnical losses using a multivariate control chart that establishes a reliable region for monitoring the measured variance. After the detection of nontechnical losses, a pathfinding procedure based on the A-Star algorithm is able to locate the consumption point with the non-technical loss. Moreover, a geographical information system application displays the consumption point that is the target of the cyber-attack. The numerical results demonstrate the selectivity and efficiency of the proposed methodology applied for monitoring a real distribution network. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/22377-1 - Development Proposal of the Self-Healing Technique on Smart Grid using a Multi-Agent System
• Grantee: Jonatas Boas Leite
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 13/23590-8 - Development of a distribution energy management system simulator for Smart Grids
• Grantee: José Roberto Sanches Mantovani
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants