Asian Research Journal of Current Science

Myanmar’s electricity distribution sector continues to face significant operational and financial challenges, including widening gaps between electricity supply and consumer demand, high levels of technical and non-technical losses, and inefficient billing and revenue collection systems. These challenges have negatively affected the financial sustainability of the national power sector while reducing the quality, reliability, and efficiency of electricity services. In response, Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) has emerged as a key technological solution for modernizing electricity distribution through real-time monitoring, automated metering, and improved operational transparency. This study evaluates the effectiveness of AMI deployment in enhancing electricity distribution performance and strengthening revenue management in Myanmar. A mixed-method approach combining analytical and case study methods was employed, focusing on AMI implementation across 22 townships in Yangon during the 2023–2024 fiscal year. The study examines the technical architecture of the AMI system, including smart meters, communication networks and the Meter Data Management System (MDMS). Statistical analysis was conducted to assess discrepancies among distributed energy, billed energy, collected revenue, and system losses. The findings indicate that large-scale AMI deployment significantly improves the accuracy, transparency, and efficiency of electricity metering, billing, and revenue collection. The implementation resulted in a total revenue recovery of approximately MMK 13.38 billion, demonstrating substantial financial gains from digital metering systems. However, notable variations in loss rates and collection efficiency were observed across townships, with industrial and peri-urban areas exhibiting higher levels of non-technical losses and revenue leakage. The results further show that AMI enables utilities to detect abnormal consumption patterns, identify electricity theft, and enhance data-driven operational decision-making. In summary, this study confirms that Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) constitutes a critical technological foundation for transforming Myanmar’s electricity distribution sector into a modern digital system, with substantial potential to enhance operational efficiency, financial governance, service reliability, and revenue collection performance. The findings indicate that prioritizing AMI deployment in industrial zones and rapidly expanding urban areas characterized by high electricity consumption and elevated technical and non-technical losses can not only improve return on investment (ROI) but also reduce electricity losses, curb revenue leakage, and enable more transparent billing and collection processes. Moreover, the real-time data generated by AMI systems has been shown to strengthen data-driven decision-making in demand forecasting, load management, and electricity distribution policy formulation. Accordingly, Myanmar must pursue a phased nationwide expansion of AMI deployment to reduce Electric Power Losses as a technical and non-technical losses, while not relying solely on public funding but also mobilizing domestic and foreign investment through Public–Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements to extend AMI coverage across townships nationwide. If implemented effectively, such an approach would significantly reduce system-wide electricity losses and reinforce the efficiency, reliability, and financial sustainability of the distribution network. From a long-term perspective, successful nationwide AMI implementation would accelerate the development of Myanmar’s Smart Grid infrastructure, improve the balance between electricity generation and consumption, and create future opportunities to integrate surplus power into the regional ASEAN Power Grid for electricity trade. This, in turn, could contribute meaningfully to national energy security, economic development, and public revenue growth, thereby positioning AMI as a strategic instrument for the country’s broader energy transition.