Smart clamps system for electricity fraud detection

Detecting the Invisible: The new edge in combating Electricity Fraud

In the era of digitalisation of electrical grids, one silent threat continues to imperil energy distribution companies: electricity fraud. This fraud mainly takes place in medium- and low-voltage networks, resulting in annual losses worth billions of euros. These illegal connections not only inflict economic damage but also degrade power quality, harm critical infrastructure, and complicate network planning.

 

Why is fraud so hard to detect?

Spotting fraudulent consumption is more challenging than it seems. Illegal hookups are frequently invisible—buried underground, hidden in installations, or connected directly to the network without passing through any meter. In medium-voltage networks, offenders often attach a transformer to the illegal connection and feed a low-voltage network. In low-voltage networks, even highly monitored Smart Grids using advanced analytics may only detect suspicious losses—locating the exact point of theft remains elusive.
 

Current market solutions fall short

Most existing loss detection methods compare energy measured at the line head with what is registered by meters. While this can identify that something is amiss, it doesn’t pinpoint where, requiring distributors to conduct expensive and inefficient manual inspections. Portable tools that measure current at single points lack synchronization, rendering Kirchhoff’s Law ineffective in real-time—especially in unbalanced or variable-load networks.
 
 

 
 

A simple idea, powerful technology

We’re excited to announce a portable, intelligent system developed by Merytronic and Ariadna, capable of detecting, quantifying, and locating electricity theft in low- and medium-voltage networks using synchronized current measurements.
 
How it works:
 
1. Install portable sensors at suspicious network points. In monitored low-voltage grids, the system can identify the specific line and classify the loss as either:

• A direct illegal connection (fraud).
• A ground leakage (technical loss).

 
2. Synchronize measurements across sensors—even over hundreds of meters—to record currents in multiple phases at the exact same time.

 

3. Analyze via the Ariadna analytics platform (web or app). Check if input equals output per Kirchhoff’s Law. Any discrepancy indicates a loss.
 
4. Classify the type of loss—with AI algorithms that discern between technical losses and fraud (e.g., theft, tampering, cable failure).
 
5. Pinpoint the exact location using a cable tracer.
 
This method is fast, reliable, and non-invasive—no power cuts, no need to enter homes or businesses.

 

A game-changer for distribution companies.

 

This new device marks a paradigm shift. It’s no longer enough to simply know that a loss exists—now it can be located, verified, and addressed with accurate, real-time data.

 

Our solution represents a qualitative leap forward: using synchronized sensors installed at multiple points across the network, it can detect both technical losses (such as ground faults) and non-technical losses (electricity theft). What sets it apart is that all data is recorded using novel measurement devices developed by Merytronic, specifically designed for fraud detection.

 

The collected data is automatically transmitted to and analyzed by the Ariadna platform, which applies advanced analytics and AI algorithms. This enables the system to estimate the amount of stolen energy and accurately pinpoint the location of the loss in both medium- and low-voltage networks—distinguishing between theft, tampered meters, or cable faults.

All of this comes in a portable, robust, and user-friendly solution, built for real-world field conditions—whether overhead lines, manholes, or underground cables.