SSUET students invent device for advance payment of power usage

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services) 

A group of students of Electronics department of Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET) have devised a system of payment of electricity bills in advance through application of GPRS system. 

The system will bring reduction in the human resource, the expenses incurred on meter reading and ward off public complaints regarding issuance of bills not matching the meter reading. 

The ‘Pre-paid Digital Energy Meter’ has been devised by the six-member group consisting of Zohaib Saleem Abbasi, Syed Arif Raza, Mohammed Aqib, Nabeel Tariq, Kashif Hameed and Afnan Ahmed. 

According to the group members they used Ethernet Module USRTCP 232T, PCB designing, Discreet components, Power Supply, LCD Digital Analogue Meter, Micro Controller Censers, Internet Device besides other component parts in the project preparation. 

They considered the project  fully micro-controller thatcan easily be installed in any house. Besides making payment of electricity charges in advance, one can determine through IPS address on an interne the balance of electricity to be used and to plan saving. 

The consumer will get a warning through alarm as to the exhaustion of the amount paid for power consumption and thus would help get power supply as per need and budget requirement. 

Through an innovation, advance payment could also be made through scratch card which would help overcome utility interference. The group said the project has cost them an amount of Rs 21,000 which they paid from their own pocket. 

They said they will continue to give demonstration of better performance, provided they get government cooperation.