Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10321/3631
Title: A technical and financial analysis of smart prepaid split meters on Eskom's electric power distribution
Authors: Ndaba, Sindi Iren 
Issue Date: 27-May-2021
Abstract: 
The implementation of a smart metering system in the distribution network does not
only promote energy loss reduction, but also improves smart grids. This improvement
in smart grids is achieved by the high level information infrastructure, monitoring,
accurate measurement and metering operations that provide a widespread
communication substructure. The direct effect of smart prepaid split meters is on
energy flow management and billing advancing, to aiding the power quality when
combined with a smart grid system. The study focused on the technical and financial
effectiveness of the smart prepaid split metering system on the Eskom distribution
network.
The objectives of the study were, to investigate the severity of non-technical losses in
distribution networks before and after smart prepaid split metering roll-out; to
investigate the effectiveness of smart prepaid split metering for the utility and
customers; to analyze the technical performance on medium voltage (MV) and low
voltage (LV) power distribution networks before and after smart prepaid split metering
roll-out; and to analyze the effectiveness of smart prepaid split metering for revenue
collections. The questionnaire instrumental survey and historical data were used for
the analyses. The primary data was obtained from the questionnaire tool. The
collected data were analyzed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences
software (SPSS) version 26.0 and Microsoft Excel 2016 in order to achieve multiobjective decision-making on the effectiveness of smart prepaid split metering in the
utility and customer satisfaction. The different inferential statistics techniques used
included regressions, correlations, multifactor analysis (MFA), factor analysis (FA) and
chi-square test values. These were interpreted using the p-values to identify the
change-point, trend and correlated best-fit time series for decision making.
This study concluded that the use of a smart prepaid split metering system faces
challenges such as a shortage of experts for new smart meter technology to respond
to the faults which led to unfavorable results for power system average interruption
duration. The study recommended that South Africa’s power utility (Eskom) should
consider educating and train more technical officials concerning smart grids and smart metering to ensure that this metering technology, which is still in the early stages of
development, functions efficiently
Description: 
Submitted in fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Engineering in Electrical Power Engineering, Durban University of Technology, 2021.
URI: https://hdl.handle.net/10321/3631
DOI: https://doi.org/10.51415/10321/3631
Appears in Collections:Theses and dissertations (Engineering and Built Environment)

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