Service Delivery
Electricity Distribution Losses
Technical and non-technical electricity losses against the NERSA benchmark.
Why electricity losses erode municipal finances
Electricity distribution losses are units bought from the bulk supplier but never recovered through billing, directly eroding the surplus that cross-subsidises other services. With NERSA setting benchmark loss levels and municipal electricity sustainability under pressure, losses above benchmark are both a performance failure and a financial risk the AGSA examines. AuditPro Core measures technical and non-technical losses against the NERSA benchmark with full reconciliation to bulk-purchase records.
The Numbers
AuditPro Core renders this view from your tenant's live, tamper-evident records. The figures below are illustrative sample data.
Total Losses
19.7%
▲ 2.1% YoY
Non-Technical
11.4%
theft & tampering
NERSA Norm
≤ 10%
Units Unbilled
142 GWh
annualised
Loss composition by quarter
Losses by depot
| Depot | Loss % | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| Inner City | 26.4 | Worsening |
| Industrial | 14.2 | Stable |
| Suburban | 12.8 | Improving |
| Township | 23.1 | Worsening |
Figures shown are illustrative sample data for demonstration. AuditPro Core renders these views from your own tenant's live, tamper-evident records.
Technical versus non-technical
Technical losses are inherent energy dissipation in lines and transformers, while non-technical losses arise from theft, tampering, faulty meters and unbilled use. Non-technical loss is largely recoverable through enforcement and metering.
NERSA benchmark
NERSA publishes acceptable loss benchmarks against which a municipality's performance is judged. Sustained performance above the benchmark signals revenue leakage and infrastructure or enforcement weakness.
Energy balance
A credible loss figure reconciles units purchased from the bulk supplier to units billed to consumers. Discrepancies that cannot be explained point to metering or billing control failures.
Revenue protection
Reducing non-technical losses recovers revenue without raising tariffs, improving financial sustainability. The indicator thus links directly to the going-concern view in the financial statements.
How AuditPro Core Bridges the Gap
- Energy reconciliation: AuditPro Core reconciles bulk units purchased to units billed to compute the loss percentage.
- Loss split: technical and non-technical components are estimated separately to direct enforcement and maintenance.
- Benchmark comparison: actual losses are measured against the applicable NERSA benchmark with breaches flagged.
- Source linkage: bulk-purchase invoices and billing extracts are tied to the figure for audit traceability.
Key Takeaways
- Distinguish recoverable non-technical losses from inherent technical losses.
- Measure performance against the published NERSA benchmark.
- Reconcile bulk units purchased to units billed for a credible figure.
- Treat loss reduction as revenue protection central to sustainability.
See This on Your Own Data
AuditPro Core renders this dashboard from your tenant's live, tamper-evident records — every figure traceable to source.