Jazz, PESCO and CISNR Partner to End Theft of Electricity

Jazz Pakistan, in collaboration, with GSMA and Center for Intelligent Systems and Network Research (CISNR) is all set to lunch a pilot project with an estimated cost of 200,000 pounds to reduce electricity line losses and power theft.

The government of Pakistan is also engaged with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for financial assistance of $900 million to implement the project across the country in order to control power theft and lines losses.

The pilot project, which will be implemented from February, will facilitate around 25,000 of PESCO’s consumers.

Jazz Pakistan has been awarded the GSMA Mobile for Development Utilities Innovation Fund, launched in June 2013 to test and scale the use of mobile technology to improve or increase access to energy, water and sanitation services.

The grant was awarded to Jazz for their “Energy and Line Losses Reduction in Pakistan” idea in collaboration with Centre for Intelligent Systems & Network Research (CISNR) & Peshawar Electric Supply Company (PESCO), which uses an indigenous solution developed by their partner, CISNR, to address the biggest issue being faced by local power distribution sector; i.e. line losses and electricity theft.

Jazz has been successful in securing the seed grant after an extensive evaluation and due diligence carried out by GSMA. Not only telecom operators, but technology innovators and development organizations from Africa and Asian regions were part of the competition as well.

“Empowering customers digitally is no small feat and requires constant reinvention and innovation. This is another commitment to that philosophy to address ease for masses as they access important utility services,” said Ali Naseer, Chief Corporate and Enterprise Officer – Jazz.

He continued,

We have partnered with GSMA for the ‘Energy and Line Loss Reduction Solution’ in order to improve the overall power distribution sector.

Jazz aims to ensure that the digitization of these utilities improves the quality of life for Pakistanis. The solution utilizes the connectivity provided by Jazz to remotely monitor and manage distribution boxes, transformers and grid station feeders to ensure a more efficient and precise process that identifies points of failure, faulty lines and theft locations.

The seed fund is to be used to source and install the devices in selected subdivisions of PESCO. CISNR will be responsible for the device units (Transfocure and Electrocure), whereas infrastructure hosting and connectivity will be provided by Jazz.

In addition to this, it will also address challenges such as load management at the transformer level and consumption-wise distribution in order to optimize the distribution network.

Successful execution and scale, through this grant, will surely prove to be a strong case for all other distribution companies, which are still not able to come up with a standardized solution to address the on grid-power distribution issues in Pakistan.

Dr Gul Muhammad, Founder and CEO CISNR, said that for the pilot project for PESCO will be launched from February 1 in Karhano market. Initially, smart meters will be installed at 250 transformers and will be financed by GSMA with a grant of 200,000 pounds.

The project is likely to be completed within six months but it might be extended to the entire country within one year. The government is already in talks with Asian Development Bank (ADB) for financial support, he added.

According to the initial estimates, 54 percent losses in PESCO may be reduced to 10 percent, besides creating jobs opportunities for 10,000 engineers

Max Cuvellier, Head of M4D Utilities & Ecosystem Accelerator GSMA said that GSMA is already implementing the 53 digitalization projects in 20 developing countries, which have helped around 4.5 million consumers.