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| A field worker taking meter reading using OCR |
Deploys optical character recognition (OCR) technology for gathering meter readings
Aims to ensure 100% accuracy in meter reading & billing
Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (Tata Power-DDL), a pioneering power utility supplying electricity to a populace of over 7 million in North Delhi today announced a partnership with Anyline, a global leader in mobile data capture and artificial intelligence, to reduce non-technical losses through the introduction of a new forensic meter reading solution for field workers.
This industry-first innovation marks the first use of optical character recognition (OCR) for meter reading by Tata Power-DDL, and is the result of a collaboration between the companies. Following development and testing, the solution has been rolled out to field workers across North Delhi.
Combining mobile data capture and AI-powered anti-spoofing capabilities, the new scanning solution is integrated into the mobile devices of field workers to gather meter readings. By scanning utility meters with their mobile device cameras, field workers can instantly capture meter readings, which are then verified by Tata Power-DDL to detect whether the data and images submitted are genuine and accurate.
Tata Power-DDL’s operations span across an area of 510 sq. km, including over 1.9 million meters, which are recorded monthly by field workers. With the introduction of this new solution, the company has been able to significantly improve the data quality of readings, while also reducing the cycle time of meter billing for customers. These combined benefits aim to improve the speed and efficiency of the process.
Commenting on the partnership, Ganesh Srinivasan, CEO, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited said, “We are committed to enhancing customer experience through integration and adoption of latest technologies. Our partnership with Anyline is a step in the same direction. The introduction of this solution will help us in delivering value proposition to our customers while ensuring that they are billed accurately for the energy they consume.”
The solution will help to overcome human discrepancies leading to faulty readings and accordingly, ensure accuracy in meter reading and billing. It will also help to bring down the non-technical losses of the discom.
Speaking about the association, Anyline, CEO and co-founder Lukas Kinigadner said, “We are delighted to have partnered with Tata Power-DDL, a truly innovative leader in power distribution, to develop this industry-first solution. We look forward to building on this work together in the future, with the aim of further leveraging the power of artificial intelligence to resolve other key challenges in the energy sector.”
Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited is a joint venture between Tata Power and the Government of NCT of Delhi. Tata Power-DDL distributes electricity in North Delhi and serves a populace of 7 million. Tata Power-DDL has been a frontrunner in implementing power distribution reforms and is acknowledged for its consumer-friendly practices. Since privatization, the Aggregate Technical & Commercial (AT&C) losses in Tata Power-DDL areas have shown a record decline. Today, AT&C losses stand at 7% which is an unprecedented reduction of 87% from an opening loss level of 53% in July 2002. To learn more about Tata Power-DDL, please visit www.tatapower-ddl.com
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