WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY-PHILIPPINES

MARIA AURORA CAMPUS

Electricity Billing Management System in

Maria Aurora, Aurora

An Undergraduate Thesis

Presented to the Faculty of

The College of Computer Science

Wesleyan University-Philippines

Maria Aurora, Aurora

In Partial Fulfillment

Of the Requirements for the Degree

Of Bachelor of Science in Computer Science

JESRIEL SUMATRA

LEAMOOR ANCHETA

CATHLEEN JOY AMOR

April 2024
 WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY-PHILIPPINES
MARIA AURORA CAMPUS

Chapter 1

Introduction

Rationale

A vital component of human life is electricity. In daily life, everything

depends on electricity, whether directly or indirectly, from the tiny machinery of a
wristwatch to the massive industrial robots. The traditional electricity billing system
has been updated with this project. To make the electricity billing system more
streamlined, user-friendly, and productive, this initiative aims to computerize it.
Moreover utilizing a predetermined time frame, the software determines the units
used. It helps to ensure accurate billing, efficient payment processes, a number of
challenges, including outdated infrastructure, complex tariff structures and overall
customer satisfaction. The implementation of an electricity billing system over IoT, as
proposed by Lavate (2022), offers the advantage of reducing electricity consumption
and production costs. This is further enhanced by the use of a power line network, as
discussed by Kumarasamy (2016), which eliminates the need for new installations
and can be readily implemented. The importance of an efficient electricity billing
system is highlighted in several studies. Abrar (2023) and Kute (2019) both
emphasize the need for accurate and automated systems to prevent power theft and
reduce manual labor.

To improve electricity billing systems and solve issues with billing procedures
include billing errors, late payments, and lack of transparency in billing practices. To
tackle these obstacles, it is crucial to have a precise comprehension of the study
aims, and a clear definition of techniques is necessary to enhance the research
methodology in this field. By defining the main goals of the research, efficiency and
efficacy of electricity billing systems are addressed. and putting into practice a solid
approach, researchers might endeavor to create solutions that improve the
effectiveness, precision, and openness of power billing procedures. Benazir.Z
(2022) focused on simplifying bill management through a Java Swing and MySQL
application, and Kute (2019) proposed a wireless system using IoT technology.
 WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY-PHILIPPINES
MARIA AURORA CAMPUS

These systems aim to improve accuracy, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness in

electricity billing. The implementation of smart electricity billing systems, such as
those based on IoT and ARM-7 microcontrollers, offers several advantages. These
systems provide a more accurate and cost-efficient method of billing (Chore
2018, Kundeti 2016). They also reduce the need for manual meter readings, saving
time and labor (Chore 2018). Additionally, the use of a Wi-Fi module in the system
can further enhance its efficiency (Lavate 2022).
 WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY-PHILIPPINES
MARIA AURORA CAMPUS

Purpose of Constructing the model

The purpose of constructing this model for Electric Billing Management

System in Maria Aurora, Aurora are to simplify bill payment, automate unit tracking,
create bills according to customer type, and effectively maintain error-free billing
records. Here are the purposes:

 Simplify Bill Payment: Simplifying electric bill payments minimizes errors,

saves money, enhances customer satisfaction, encourages environmental
responsibility, and saves time for both customers and providers.

 Automate Unit Tracking: Increasing efficiency, cutting costs, and raising
environmental consciousness for both individuals and companies are benefits
of automating unit tracking for electricity bills.

 Create Bills According to Customer Type: Electric bills that are tailored to
the type of customer help utility companies maintain accuracy, equity, cost
recovery, regulatory compliance, energy efficiency promotion, and efficient
revenue management.

 Effectively Maintain Error-free Billing Records: Ensuring that electric bill

billing records are accurate is crucial for the utility's financial stability,
customer satisfaction, regulatory compliance, and smooth operations.
 WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY-PHILIPPINES
MARIA AURORA CAMPUS

Objectives

Here are the objectives of Electricity Billing Management System in Maria

Aurora, Aurora.

 Simplifying bill payment processes

 Reducing manual work in managing consumed units
 Generating accurate bills for different customer types
 Maintaining error-free databases
 Enabling easy future developments
 Ensuring accuracy and stability of consumption data
 Enhancing user-admin interactions
 Controlling power consumption
 Providing automation and security
 Facilitating understanding of energy usage
 Improving meter reading efficiency
 Eliminating billing errors

Time frame and unit of analysis

Table 1. Time Frame

YEAR MONTH
2022 – 2023 January-December

2023 - 2024 January-December

2023 - 2024 January-December

2024 - 2025 January-December

 WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY-PHILIPPINES
MARIA AURORA CAMPUS

Table 2. Unit of Analysis

Research Problem / Research Unit of Data Unit of

Questions Analysis Collection Observation
Manual Meter Reading
Individual Survey of Individual
employee (employee)
Billing Errors Individual Survey of Observe of
employee customer
Limited Data Analysis Survey of employees
Work Group company
Customer Service Issues Survey of Observe of
Individual customer employee
Revenue Collection Work Group Survey of Observe of
Challenges company customer

Scope

The following are the capabilities and features of the System:

 Simplifying bill payments

 Managing customer details
 Tracking units consumed
 Generating bills
 Enabling online payments
 Facilitating future developments easily.
 WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY-PHILIPPINES
MARIA AURORA CAMPUS

Specification and Design

Table 1: Hardware Specifications

Item name Description

Processor Pentium 4s 1.13 GHz
Ram 4 gb ddr3
Hard drive space 128 gb
Display 1024x768
Graphics Card Intel integrated graphics

Table 2: Design

Component Description
Frontend -User Interface (UI) for administrators,
evaluators, and faculty members.
-Dashboard displaying relevant
information, notifications, and action
items.
-Navigation menu for accessing different
features and functionalities.
Backend -Database management system
(DBMS) for storing evaluation data and
user information.
-Server-side scripting language (e.g.,
PHP)
Billing Forms -Automated billing forms for customers
-Validation rules to ensure data
accuracy and completeness.
Customer Service -Automated reports of complainants
 WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY-PHILIPPINES
MARIA AURORA CAMPUS

-Option for customer to provide written

comments and suggestions.
Reporting & Analytics -Customizable reports for company
owner and employees.
-Export functionality to download
evaluation data in various formats (e.g.,
WORD, PDF).
 WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY-PHILIPPINES
MARIA AURORA CAMPUS

Review of Related Literature

Manual Meter Reading

Manual meter reading has several disadvantages highlighted in the research

papers. These include high error rates, inefficiency, labor intensiveness, difficulties in
household access, and inaccuracies in power consumption data. The traditional
method of manual meter reading is prone to human errors due to the manual
capturing of meter values, leading to inaccuracies in billing. Additionally, manual
meter reading systems waste labor, lack reliability, and can result in faulty readings.
To address these drawbacks, advancements have been made towards implementing
wireless meter reading systems with improved efficiency, reliability, and automatic
error detection capabilities. The transition to electronic and centralized meter reading
systems has significantly improved the accuracy, speed, and automation of meter
reading processes, reducing labor costs and enhancing overall efficiency. Manual
meter reading is a labor-intensive and error-prone process, leading to inefficiencies
and inaccuracies (Edward, 2013; Yue, 2018). To address these issues, various
automated meter reading systems have been proposed, such as those based on
image acquisition and processing (Edward, 2013), GPRS technology (Yue, 2018),
and GSM-based prepaid meters (Chaudhary, 2018). These systems offer improved
efficiency, accuracy, and remote access to meter data, thereby overcoming the
disadvantages of manual meter reading.

Billing errors

Errors in utility bills may appear to be a small annoyance, but they can cause
large financial losses for many businesses. Inaccurate utility billing information may
result in yearly prices for customers that increase by 5% to 15%. A range of studies
have highlighted the prevalence and impact of billing errors in the healthcare
industry. Myers (2011) and Painter (2018) both emphasize the need for improved
processes and documentation to prevent these mistakes. a smart electricity
measuring system with an Android-based payment system (Naik, 2020), and a
prepaid energy meter using RFID (Rannels, 2017). These systems aim to reduce
 WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY-PHILIPPINES
MARIA AURORA CAMPUS

errors, improve accuracy, and enhance the efficiency of the billing process. The
current system of energy billing is plagued by numerous issues, including meter
reading errors, lack of customer presence during readings, and the potential for
human error in processing bills (Ashok, 2019; Ananth, 2019; Rannels, 2017; Kumar,
2019). These problems can lead to financial losses, electricity management
weaknesses, and inconvenience for consumers. To address these challenges,
various smart energy billing systems have been proposed, such as those using
Arduino (Ashok, 2019), Node-MCU (Ananth, 2019), and RFID (Rannels, 2017).
These systems aim to improve accuracy, reduce wastage, and enhance the overall
efficiency of electricity billing.

Limited Data Analysis

Limited data analysis is a common challenge in various fields, including data

envelopment analysis (DEA) (Malekmohammadi, 2014), statistical inference
(Looney, 2018), engineering applications (Khayyam, 2018), and learning methods
(Chang, 2008). Malekmohammadi (2014) proposes a model for reallocating limited
resources in DEA, considering both imprecise and integer data. Looney
(2018) discusses methods for dealing with situations where there is no useful data or
only limited data, particularly in statistical inference problems. Khayyam
(2018) reviews data modeling techniques for limited data in engineering applications,
focusing on heuristic approaches. Chang (2008) analyzes the characteristics of
learning in limited data and compares different classification methods, highlighting
the challenges and potential solutions in small data set learning.

Limited data analysis in the field of electricity poses challenges in various

aspects. For instance, the lack of widely agreed best practices for designing,
deploying, and operating electrical data collection systems hinders researchers from
effectively utilizing real-world data sets for developing and testing signal processing
and machine learning algorithms [1]. Moreover, the Electric Vehicle (EV) industry
faces a shortage of open-source diverse datasets for monitoring battery states using
machine learning, which stifles research growth in this area [2]. Addressing these
 WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY-PHILIPPINES
MARIA AURORA CAMPUS

limitations requires the development of methodologies to enhance data collection,

storage, and provision practices, as well as innovative approaches like time-series
battery data augmentation using deep neural networks to overcome the challenges
of limited battery data availability [3] [4].

Customer Service Issues

Customer service issues encompass a wide array of challenges faced by

businesses in serving their customers effectively. These issues range from
discrepancies between stated marketing philosophies and actual practices [1], to the
complexity of managing multiple touchpoints in the omnichannel retail environment,
leading to potential miscommunication and poor service experiences [2]. Additionally,
the quality of customer service is crucial in various industries, such as healthcare,
where both internal and external customers expect high-quality care based on
factors like courtesy, timeliness, and compassion from caregivers [3]. Understanding
key factors and management practices in customer service is essential for ensuring
business success, customer satisfaction, and building positive relationships with all
stakeholders [4]. By addressing these issues and implementing effective strategies,
businesses can enhance customer experiences and loyalty in today's dynamic
market landscape.

Sangwan 2020 emphasizes the impact of service failure on customer trust and the
various ways in which customers respond, including complaining behavior.

Revenue Collection Challenges

The challenges of revenue collection in the electricity sector are

multifaceted. Young (2016) highlights the impact of changing demand patterns and
high penetrations of distributed photovoltaics on network revenue, particularly under
flat rate and time of use tariffs. Rains (2018) emphasizes the role of government
capacity and willingness to collect revenues, with a focus on the Global
South. Jenkins (2017) proposes a regulatory approach to address revenue adequacy
and uncertainty in the face of distributed energy resources.
 WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY-PHILIPPINES
MARIA AURORA CAMPUS

The challenges in revenue collection include inefficiency due to poor fiscal

cadastre, lack of skilled human resources, administrative capacity, taxpayer
awareness, and transparency issues [1]. Additionally, challenges arise from factors
like lack of experience, motivation, fairness, and corruption among tax collectors, as
well as taxpayer issues such as motivation, knowledge, and confidence [2].
Furthermore, challenges in revenue administration involve unstable revenue trends,
incomplete tax registers, manual handling leading to fraud, and revenue loss [3].
Administrative challenges in property tax collection systems, like those faced by
Harare Municipality, stem from lack of digitalization, unawareness of property tax,
and system inadequacies [4]. Implementing Electronic Fiscal Devices (EFDs) also
faces challenges like power and internet breakdowns, tax estimation fairness, lack of
education, maintenance issues, and underpricing [5].

REFERENCES

https://typeset.io/search?q=MANUAL%20METER%20REading

https://elicit.com/notebook/09467df8-8d62-44c7-8029-64ede1a24beb

https://elicit.com/notebook/09467df8-8d62-44c7-8029-64ede1a24beb

https://elicit.com/notebook/09467df8-8d62-44c7-8029-64ede1a24beb

https://typeset.io/search?q=customer%20service%20issues

https://elicit.com/notebook/09467df8-8d62-44c7-8029-64ede1a24beb
 WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY-PHILIPPINES
MARIA AURORA CAMPUS

https://typeset.io/search?q=revenue%20collection%20challenges