Abstract

This case study details how Zhuhai YuJian Tech successfully assisted a regional power distribution company in Bangladesh, which was long plagued by high line losses and difficulties in electricity fee collection, by implementing its advanced STS prepayment rail-mounted meters and AMI system. The project achieved significant improvements in operational efficiency and modernized customer service.

 

1. Project Background

Bangladesh, as one of the rapidly developing economies in South Asia, faces numerous challenges in its power infrastructure. A regional power distribution company in Dhaka, responsible for supplying electricity to over 100,000 residential and commercial customers, was persistently troubled by the following issues:

Persistently High Line Loss Rate:

Non-technical losses (including electricity theft, meter tampering, etc.) resulted in a long-term line loss rate exceeding 25%.

Difficulties in Electricity Fee Collection:

The traditional post-payment model led to widespread customer payment defaults, with a collection rate of less than 80%.

High Operational Costs:

Maintaining a large team of meter readers led to continuously rising labor costs.

Lagging Customer Service: 

Customers needed to queue at service centers to purchase electricity, leading to persistently high complaint rates.

*The company had tried various improvement solutions with limited success, until implementing the smart metering solution from Zhuhai YuJian Technology.

 

2. Solution

After in-depth investigation, Zhuhai Foresee Technology developed a tailored full-scale Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) solution:

1. Hardware Layer Innovation

Deployment of 5,000 DIN Rail-mounted STS Prepayment Meters.

Key Specifications:

• Voltage: 230V AC

• Current: 5(60)A Direct Connection

• Compliance: IEC 62055-41 STS International Standard

• Protection Level: IP54

• Operating Temperature: -25°C to +60°C

2. Communication Network Architecture

A hybrid networking model was adopted to ensure comprehensive coverage:

• Urban Dense Areas: Deployment of 4G Cat.1 concentrators, each managing 200-300 meters

• Suburban Dispersed Areas: Individual meters connected directly via NB-IoT

• Data Transmission Interval: 15 minutes

• Network Availability: ≥ 99.5%

3. Software Platform Development

The "YuJian Energy Cloud Platform" was established, featuring the following core modules:

• STS Prepayment Management System

• Mobile Payment Integration Interface

• Real-time Monitoring and Alarm Center

• Big Data Analytics Platform

• Customer Self-Service Portal

4. Payment System Integration

Deep collaboration with bKash, a leading mobile financial service provider in Bangladesh, enabled:

• USSD code top-up (e.g., *122*...)

• Mobile APP payments

• 7x24 hour service availability

• Transaction Processing Time ＜ 3 seconds

 

3. Implementation Process

The project was implemented in three phases:

Phase 1: Pilot Deployment (January - March 2022)

*Selection of 3 typical areas in Dhaka City.

*Deployment of 500 pilot meters.

*Completion of basic system functionality tests.

Phase 2: Scalable Promotion (April - September 2022)

*Deployment of the remaining 4,500 meters.

*Full functionality roll out of the payment system.

*Training sessions for operational staff.

Phase 3: Optimization and Enhancement (October - December 2022)

*System performance tuning.

*Addition of advanced analytical functions.

*Establishment of a long-term operation and maintenance mechanism.

 

4. Results and Benefits

After one year of stable operation, the project achieved remarkable results:

1. Improved Financial Indicators

*Line loss rate reduced from 25% to 8%, saving approximately $1.2 million annually in losses.

*Electricity fee collection rate reached 100%, increasing annual cash flow by $3 million.

*Operational costs reduced by 40%, primarily from savings in manual meter reading.

 

2. Enhanced Operational Efficiency

*Meter reading efficiency increased by 100%, achieving automatic remote reading.

*Average fault response time shortened from 7 days to 24 hours.

*Customer complaint rate decreased by 65%.

 

3. Improved Service Quality

*Average customer time for purchasing electricity reduced from 45 minutes to 2 minutes.

*Support for 7×24 hour self-service.

*Customer satisfaction score improved from 6.2 to 8.5 (on a 10-point scale).

 

4. Optimized Management Decision-Making

*Achieved accurate electricity load forecasting.

*Established an intelligent abnormal electricity consumption identification system.

*Provided multi-dimensional data analysis to support investment decisions.

 

5. Technological Innovation Highlights

This project demonstrated several technological innovations:

1. Adaptive Communication Technology:

Automatically switches communication modes based on network conditions.

2. Intelligent Anti-tampering Algorithms:

Real-time identification of 16 types of abnormal electricity consumption encryption.

3. Multi-layered Security Protection:

End-to-end security solution from hardware encryption to transmission encryption.

4. Elastic Architecture Design:

Supports smooth scaling from tens of thousands to millions of devices.

 

6. Customer Testimonial

Mr. Ahmed, CEO of the Bangladeshi Power Company, stated: "Zhuhai Foresee Technology's solution not only solved the long-standing operational challenges we faced but, more importantly, introduced modern management concepts. After the project implementation, our staff were freed from the heavy workload of manual meter reading and can now focus on providing better customer service. This system has become the core infrastructure of our digital transformation."

 

7. Industry Insights and Future Outlook

The successful implementation of this project provides an important reference for power companies in emerging markets:

1. Technical Adaptability:

Solutions must fully consider local infrastructure conditions.

2. Ecosystem Integration:

Collaboration with local payment service providers is key to project success.

3. Phased Roll-out:

Pilot verification and phased promotion mitigate implementation risks.

 

Looking ahead, based on the success in Bangladesh, Zhuhai YuJian Technology is extending this model to other Southeast Asian countries like Vietnam and Indonesia. The company plans to assist more power enterprises in achieving digital transformation over the next three years, jointly promoting the intelligent evolution of global energy management.

 

Conclusion

This case study fully demonstrates that persistent challenges in the traditional power industry can be effectively addressed through innovative technological solutions and deep local collaboration. Zhuhai Yujian Tech has showcased its technical strength in the smart metering field and its profound understanding of the needs in emerging markets, setting a successful benchmark for digital transformation in the industry.