CWG proposes smart metering to curb power theft, crisis

To mitigate the challenges encountered in the country’s power sector, a pan-African information and communications technology provider, CWG Plc, has proposed a Smart Utility Solution (SUS), also known as anti-theft meter to manage electricity flow and cost.

Speaking on “Using Value Added Service to Solve Energy Crisis” during a seminar organised by the company in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer, CWG Plc, James Agada, said the meter is a theft prevention solution, with utility analytics, energy audit, demand side management, real time billing efficiency and network asset management.

He said the meter was built with high speed 4G LTE modem Wi-Fi router, inbuilt CIU, for wireless Internet access.

‘’The idea is to make use of technology to solve power problem so that losses can be minimum and enable wide ecosystem,” he said.

Stressing that the meter was designed by CWG, including the software, he added: “The only thing we don’t do is the physical hardware. We have people bringing it for us from China.”

Also speaking, the Vice President, Corporate Development, CWG, Daniel Shobhan Das, said: “Our Smart Utility has the capacity to significantly reduce the challenges witnessed in the power sector.

“Some of the challenges include losses due to poor metering, theft through meter tampering and jamming or illegal connections and non- existence of energy audit.’’

He said the meter would be offer to electricity distribution companies in order to efficiently manage and monitor energy flow to the end users.

According to him, the CWG solution will be used by using a Pole Top Unit (PTU) mounted on each distribution poles.

This measures current flow of all distribution lines from the distribution transformer to the customers. “We develop, implement, install, manage and provide technical support on the solution,” he added.

The meter comes in a single face for households and double faces. It will also allow remote disconnection on non-payment consumer.