Leveraging Geospatial Technology for Enhanced Utility Management: A Case Study in Electrical Distribution Power Systems

Abstract

Over the years, electricity has developed into a crucial commodity for any nation. The need to evaluate the rate of electricity consumption in regard to utility management and the spatial distribution of major devices to facilitate appropriate planning within the estate is the motivation for this research. This study used geospatial technology to evaluate the electricity distribution to support planning and management in Omole Estate (Phase One) and environs within the city of Lagos, Nigeria. The focus was on determining the land use in study area, geolocations of the transformers, along with the cost of energy consumed per household. Spatial data for the research area was collected through a Hand-held GPS. Google Earth images were downloaded to supplement the data, and a comprehensive analysis of administered and recovered questionnaires was conducted to enrich the dataset. ArcGIS 10.6.1 software was employed to create the database and depict the area, whilst modifying all of the details required within. The result confirms that 72% of the respondents use electricity for domestic use, 18% for commercial use while 10% utilise it for domestic and commercial use. A significant portion of homes (33%) still use outdated postpaid meters and 35% of respondents do not know how much power they use at home each month or the cost per unit of that electricity. Regarding the respondents, 67% have a prepaid card/electrical meter installed (per kilowatt). Concerning cost, 10% of the respondents spends between N1000-N5000 for their monthly electricity consumption, 27% of the respondents between N5,000 and N10,000, 38% between N10,000 and N17,000, 24% between N17,000 and N25,000 and 2% above N25,000 per month on electricity. These findings will assist effective power distribution within the estate and provide guidance on charge rates for commercial power users which is approximately 28% overall.