Energy Meter tampering: Major cause of non-technical losses in Indian distribution sector

Power distribution network of the developing nation like India is facing continuous financial crises due to lack of revenue generations. Inspite of many programmes launched by central and state governments to improve efficiency of distribution sector the progress is not upto the mark. Power theft through Energy Meter tampering and manipulation with the meter reading is one of the major causes of revenue losses. Replacement of old Electromechnical meters by Electronic energy meters with anti-tamper features has helped utilities to find out the meter tampering attempts but still there is a long way to go as people are finding new ways to tamper meters. The paper discusses common methods of meter tampering in Indian gray market and features of smart meters useful for minimizing electricity theft.