Review of non-technical loss detection methods

Electricity theft has been a major issue for many years. Distribution System Operators (DSOs) have been trying to detect electricity theft, however the phenomenon insists, while simple meter inspection methods cannot adequately identify most cases of fraud. In this paper the most recent and characteristic research papers on Non-Technical Loss (NTL) detection are reviewed and their key features are summarized. NTL detection schemes are organized in three large categories: data oriented, network oriented and hybrids. Data oriented and network oriented methods are further divided to subcategories, according to the main concept behind NTL detection. Apart from categorizing the various methods the authors focus on algorithms, data types and size, features, evaluation metrics and NTL detection system response times. An overview of the algorithms used by NTL detection systems is presented focusing on why they are suitable for the specific application. The data types consumed by each NTL detection system are defined and features typically extracted from these data types are presented. In addition, the authors provide a comprehensive list of performance metrics used and comment on their importance. Finally, a qualitative comparison of NTL detectors is provided focusing on performance issues, costs, data variety/quality issues and system response times.