Introduction
Electricity theft is a major challenge for cities and electric utilities worldwide, leading to significant financial losses, safety risks, and compromised grid reliability.
Traditional detection methods often prove ineffective, necessitating advanced solutions that can proactively identify and mitigate these issues. Tondo Smart offers an innovative solution leveraging AI-powered technology to detect and prevent electricity theft, as demonstrated in a recent use case with Netivei Israel.
Challenges
Netivei, Israel’s national transport infrastructure company, manages over 5,000 miles of roads and more than 100,000 lighting fixtures. The company faced significant challenges with electricity theft, which contributed to increased operational costs and safety risks.
Identifying and addressing unauthorized power access through manual methods was both time-consuming and inefficient, leading to the need for a more advanced solution.
Interestingly, this use-case arose after Netivei and Tondo began deploying the National Highways project. Netivei asked Tondo for a solution midway through the project.
Solution Overview: Tondo Cloud IQ, Tondo Edge IQ Smart Lighting Controls and Tondo Cabinet IQ Energy Analytics
Lighting Control Infrastructure: Tondo installed over 100,000 of their Edge IQ controllers, both socketed and in-pole models, on streetlights and over 2,000 cabinet controllers across Netivei Israel’s network.
AI-Driven Detection: Tondo’s Cloud IQ central management system uses AI algorithms to monitor and analyze electricity consumption patterns. When anomalies are detected, the system identifies a specific pattern, such as possible meter tampering or illegal grid connections.
Real-Time Alerts: If electricity theft is identified, Cloud IQ immediately sends alerts to the city operations team, enabling quick and efficient response.
“With this project, we have gained the ability to remotely manage and control roadway lighting, enabling us to respond swiftly and efficiently to maintenance events. With Tondo’s AI technology, we can identify unexpected events such as electricity theft. As the amount of data increases, we expect to gain even more AI-based insights.”
Dror Goslan, Director of Electrical and Lighting Systems Maintenance, NetiveI
Results
Financial Savings: By identifying and mitigating electricity theft, Netivei Israel saved over $200,000 USD in the past year.
Improved Efficiency: The ability to monitor and control lighting infrastructure remotely allowed for quicker responses to maintenance issues and unauthorized power usage.
Scalability: As data collection continues, the system’s AI capabilities will improve, providing even more accurate insights and enhanced theft detection. for advanced applications, including vehicle counting sensors, further enhancing the city’s smart city capabilities.
