Maharashtra Electricity Theft: Using a combination of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and physical inspections, the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) has identified 27,964 cases of alleged electricity theft worth Rs 66.28 crore across the state in the past three months.
Details of immediate power disconnections and subsequent penalty recovery are also updated in real time. The utility has also initiated criminal proceedings against consumers who failed to pay the assessed electricity charges and compounding fees. Electricity theft under the provision can attract penalties and imprisonment of up to three years. The MSEDCL has developed a dedicated AI and Machine Learning module to identify possible electricity theft without relying solely on conventional inspection methods. These include historical electricity consumption, sudden increases or drops in demand and anomalies that may show meter tampering. The system then provides inspection teams with specific locations to check, reducing the need for field staff to conduct preliminary manual surveys before selecting consumers for inspection. The squads work jointly with the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) and Security & Enforcement divisions. The MSEDCL has also digitised the enforcement process through its Theft Tracking and Monitoring System (TTMS) mobile application. The application records the entire process, starting with the inspection and extending to penalty billing and recovery. Inspection details, live photographs and digital panchnamas are uploaded through the system. Prioritising the recovery of outstanding dues, an aggressive campaign against power theft is underway.
The crackdown, which was carried out between June and August, involved more than 190 flying squads deployed across the state. Of the 27,964 cases detected during the period, assessment bills totalling Rs 66.28 crore were issued in 24,508 verified cases. The MSEDCL has so far recovered Rs 29.85 crore from 10,810 settled cases. A total of 289 criminal cases have been registered under Section 135 of the Electricity Act. The system continuously analyses more than 50 technical criteria around the clock. The MSEDCL has deployed more than 190 specialised flying squads to act on the intelligence generated by the system. The 27,964 cases detected during the three-month campaign were spread across all four major MSEDCL regions. Konkan recorded the highest number, with 11,083 cases, followed by Nagpur with 5,949, Pune with 5,849 and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar with 5,083 cases. The 289 cases registered under Section 135 represent cases where offenders failed to pay the assessed electricity charges and applicable compounding fees. “Our target is to reduce MSEDCL’s Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses to below 10 percent over the next three years.
The MSEDCL said its new AI-based system has helped uncover suspected cases of electricity theft by analysing consumer data and directing inspection teams to high-risk locations. Consumers whose usage patterns are identified as suspicious are automatically placed in a “high-risk” category. The company said the digital system is intended to improve transparency in the enforcement process and reduce the possibility of negligence during inspections and recovery proceedings. The MSEDCL said legal action is being initiated against consumers who do not clear their assessed dues within the stipulated period. MSEDCL Chairman and Managing Director Lokesh Chandra, who is also additional chief secretary to the chief minister, said the campaign is part of the company’s effort to bring down its Aggregate Technical and Commercial (AT&C) losses. The newly developed AI module has greatly intensified our precision and enforcement capabilities against electricity theft across the state,” he said.
