Implementation of a Prepaid Energy Metering System Using Arduino for Residential Buildings in Abuja, FCT

This project implements a prepaid energy metering system for residential buildings in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, addressing the challenges of post-paid billing, meter tampering, and energy theft that contribute to commercial losses for electricity distribution companies in Nigeria. The system integrates an Arduino Mega microcontroller with a PZEM-004T energy monitoring module to measure real-time voltage, current, power, and accumulated energy consumption. A keypad interface allows the consumer to enter a purchased credit token, which is validated and added to the remaining unit balance displayed on a 16x2 LCD screen. When the unit balance falls below a programmable threshold, the system issues an audible warning and, upon exhaustion of credits, activates a relay to disconnect the consumer's supply automatically. Recharging is simulated through a web interface generating unique tokens, mimicking the process used by electricity distribution companies. Anti-tampering logic detects reverse current flow and unusual voltage signatures, logging anomalies for administrative review. A prototype was installed in a residential apartment in Abuja Municipal Area Council and operated continuously for three weeks, during which billing accuracy was verified against a calibrated reference meter with a maximum deviation of 1.2 percent. The system demonstrated resilience to brief power interruptions, with credit balances preserved in non-volatile memory. Cost analysis indicates that the prototype can be manufactured at significantly less than comparable commercial meters, suggesting potential for adoption by distribution companies. Keywords: prepaid metering, energy management, Arduino, electricity theft, Abuja.