Energy Theft Detection AI for Utilities
Stop energy theft with AI-powered detection.
Electricity theft costs utilities around the world an estimated $96 billion a year. YoCharge Energy Theft Detection AI is a machine learning solution that helps you identify, prevent and recover revenue lost to electricity theft, so the energy you deliver is the energy you bill.
- Machine learning
- Identify
- Prevent
- Recover revenue
The cost of energy theft
Energy theft is electricity that is consumed but never paid for: meters tampered with or bypassed, lines tapped directly, connections made without permission. Utilities count it among their non-technical losses. It is revenue lost on energy that was generated and delivered, and it hides inside normal consumption data, which makes it hard to find by inspection alone.
$96 billion: estimated global annual losses from energy theft.
$14 billion: estimated annual losses from power theft in India.
The bigger the network, the harder it is to know where to look. Manual inspections and periodic audits can only cover so many connections, and every inspection spent on an honest customer is one not spent where the losses are. That’s the problem machine learning is suited to: looking across the whole network’s data at once and pointing your teams to the cases most worth checking.
How power theft detection software works
Bring in consumption data: the system works on your energy consumption data.
Learn what normal looks like: machine learning builds a picture of expected consumption patterns.
Flag what doesn’t fit: patterns that depart from what’s expected are flagged as possible theft.
Investigate: your teams review the flagged cases and decide which to inspect.
Recover: confirmed cases feed your revenue recovery process.
From detection to revenue recovery
YoCharge Energy Theft Detection AI is built around three jobs:
Identify: find the consumption patterns that point to theft, across your whole network rather than one site at a time.
Prevent: see where losses keep returning, so inspections and action go where they matter most.
Recover: turn confirmed cases into the evidence your recovery process needs.
Connects with any custom utility revenue management system (RMS): we connect the system to the revenue management system you already run, custom-built or off the shelf, so flagged and confirmed cases feed into your existing billing and recovery workflow.
Which data sources, meter systems and workflows fit your network is something we scope with you, so the system starts from what you already have.
Who it’s for
Utilities and distribution companies: find and reduce theft-related losses across a distribution network.
Power companies: protect revenue on energy you supply.
In India: distribution companies (DISCOMs), where power theft losses are estimated at $14 billion a year.
More for power and utility companies: EV charging software for utilities
Part of YoCharge’s AI-powered modules
Energy Theft Detection AI sits alongside YoCharge’s other AI-powered modules on the EV charging, fleet and energy management platform used in 25+ countries. For charge point operators, Voltana.ai is an AI assistant that understands your charging network and answers questions about it.
The cost of energy theft
estimated global annual losses
estimated annual losses in India
Energy theft detection: questions buyers ask
What is energy theft detection AI?
Software that uses machine learning to find signs of electricity theft in consumption data, so a utility can focus inspections and recover lost revenue.
How does YoCharge detect energy theft?
Machine learning learns the expected consumption patterns in your data and flags the patterns that don’t fit. Your teams review the flagged cases, inspect the ones that matter and use the confirmed cases for recovery.
What kinds of energy theft are there?
Common forms include meter tampering, meter bypassing, direct tapping of lines and unauthorised connections. Each leaves a different mark on consumption over time.
How big is the energy theft problem?
Energy theft is estimated to cost utilities $96 billion a year worldwide, including an estimated $14 billion a year in India.
What data does it need?
It works on consumption data. Which data sources and systems suit your network is scoped with you in the demo.
Does it work with our revenue management system?
Yes. It connects with any custom utility revenue management system (RMS), so flagged and confirmed cases feed into the billing and recovery process you already run. We scope the connection with you in the demo.
What results can we expect?
We don’t publish detection-time or loss-reduction figures, because results depend on your data and your network. We’ll talk through your case in the demo.
Is it only for India?
No. Energy theft affects utilities worldwide, and YoCharge works with customers in 25+ countries. India is one market where the losses are well documented.
Find the energy you’re not billing for
Tell us about your network and your data. We’ll show you how Energy Theft Detection AI could work for you.
Book a demoOr email sales@yocharge.com