Topic:

Design and implementation of an enhanced

power billing system for the electricity consumers in
Nigeria
(case study of NASCO bokkos)
ABSTRACT
In Nigeria, electricity consumers are often faced with the
problems of inaccurate, irrational and delay in monthly billing
due to the drawback in reading pattern and human errors.
Thus, it is essential to have an efficient and effective system for
such purposes via electronic platform with consideration to
proximity. This work presents the design and functional
significance of a web-based application with online capability
called Power Billing System (PBS). PBS is a solution system
developed with hypertext transfer protocol (html), hypertext
preprocessor (php) that serves as the means of communication
between the web page and the MySQL database via querying
the data at the backend, all built in XAMPP (eXtended Apache
MySQL Pearl and PHP) that served as the local server for the
design view.
The consumer will register with the power company providers
website and choose his/her category (residential, commercial,
industrial, or special tariff). Each category have its own charge
rate and the consumer will also select his/her demand rate. The
power companys officers will have to follow each residential
unit, reads consumers meters and bring back the consumption
rate for upload. The database administrator(s) will then upload
each residence consumption rate, the bill will automatically be
calculated at the backend and the consumers will be alerted so
as to check their bills in their account and proceed with the
payment via Online Payment Mode. Once the consumer made
his or her payment, a receipt will be generated and stored for
consumers view. The admin will query those consumers
indebted on a daily basis and be alerted automatically to clear
their bills so as to avoid being disconnected.
This software is hoped to reduce the workload of the Power
Company, provide an accurate bill and enhance a speedy
delivery of the companys services. Individual consumer and
the utility companies will reduce the stress of going to the bank
or stipulated bill payment site, wasting time trying to clear their
power bills. This software will also build a good customers

relationship, because each consumer (customer as a user) will

have the opportunity to relate with the Power Companys
Assistant(s) online and lay their complains, suggestions, and
recommendations on the services rendered.The consumer will
register with the power company providers website and choose
his/her category (residential, commercial, industrial, or special
tariff). Each category have its own charge rate and the
consumer will also select his/her demand rate (Transformer
supply rate) i.e. <5KVA, <100KVA, <500KVA and so on. The
consumer subscribes his/her power account via online payment
platform and the estimated duration will automatically be
calculated based on the kilowatt per hour energy charge rate
and notify the consumer the estimated duration he or she will
use the energy. The power meter will be programmed in such a
way that it behaves like a mobile device in which the amount
paid will be credited to it (meter) and the meter reads and
charge based on the consumption rate.
Once the unit reaches a certain percentage being programmed,
it will alert the consumer to make effort and top up his/her unit,
else the power will be disconnected automatically. One of the
back stab of this software is some consumers might choose to
make a direct connection to their residence avoiding the meters
charging plan.
1.0 INTRODUCTION
Power Billing System is an Executive Information System (EIS)
that determines the consumed power per unit time and
performs its computation based on the sale rate of power per
unit time and other parameters. The importance of Power
Billing System (PBS) cannot be over emphasized because its
calculation reflects the exact power consumption for the
prospective consumers, and in monitoring the billing details of
the electricity consumers (Advalorem, 2009).
It provides an environment to maintain the consumer details
starting from getting new connection, receiving bill, payments
etc; access to performance information by the management
(Seshanna et al, 2006). It functions on an Intranet network and
Internet domain and ensure timely availability of status
parameters. The ability to view the reports online ensures
access to the report from PC terminal or devices VLAN and WAN
network with internet connection. Customers can lodge
complaint or deal with new connections just by logging into

theIn the traditional system, files were used to maintain the

database which was done manually. This existing system
consumes a lot of time. This time consuming evaluation
coupled by the huge maintenance problem and also leads to
erroneous results in most cases. The various operations
performed on these files by the personnel of NACOS Company
of Nigeia like sorting, adding, modifying and deletion of the
records are very tedious. Moreover, these manually maintained
files have the possibility of getting worn out. Thus, less
durability, reliability, privacy, prioritization and efficiency is
achieved.
2.0

PROBLEM ANALYSIS

Electricity is the science, engineering, technology and physical

phenomena associated with the presence and flow of electric
charges. Electricity gives a wide variety of well-known electrical
effects, such as lighting, static electricity, electromagnetic
induction and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire
(IEEE, 2008). In addition, electricity permits the creation and
reception of electromagnetic radiation such as radio waves. In
electricity, charges produce electromagnetic fields which act on
other charges (Franklin, 1869). Priestley (1967) Electricity
remained little more than an intellectual curiosity for almost a
millennium until a careful study of electricity and magnetism,
distinguishing the lodestone effect from static electricity
produced by rubbing amber (Bryon, 2002). Alessandro Volta's
battery, or voltaic pile, of 1800, made from alternating layers of
zinc and copper, provided scientists with a more reliable source
of electrical energy than the electrostatic machines previously
used (Abubakar, 2009).
At present, plans are already nearing completion for the
extension and reinforcement of the existing transmission
system to ensure adequate and reliable power supply to all
parts of the country. The existing system is a billing machine
that constitutes five divisions but, too overburdened, less
flexible, slow pace of processing and not so users friendly. Fig.
1 gives the overall block diagram of the computer-based power
billing machine with the highlighted shortcomings. This is an
electromechanical meter system used to measure accurately
the electric power consumed by a company or an individual.

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