Innovative Digital Energy Meter with Overload Indication and Power Theft Monitoring

An energy meter, also known as a watt-hour meter, is a device used to measure the quantity of electrical energy consumed by a home or building. It is typically installed by the utility company or a qualified electrician at the main electrical panel or circuit breaker box. Energy meters can be mechanical or digital in nature. Mechanical meters use rotating dials or a spinning disc to measure energy consumption, while digital meters use electronic sensors and display screens to provide real-time energy usage data. This paper explains the development of a smart energy meter with overload protection and power theft control features. The proposed meter employs a microcontroller-based system that monitors and records the energy consumption of a household or building. The system also incorporates an overload protection mechanism that automatically switches off the power supply when the load exceeds a safe limit, thereby preventing damage to the electrical appliances and wiring. In addition to the overload protection, the smart energy meter is equipped with a power theft control feature that detects and reports any unauthorized tampering with the meter. This is achieved by monitoring the voltage and current levels, and comparing them with the expected values based on the load and power factor of the connected appliances. If any discrepancies are detected, an alert is generated, and the utility company is notified.