Hotline of power engineering specialists:
IDGC of Centre – Tambovenergo division summed up a series of raids to identify facts of theft of electricity by unscrupulous customers conducted from September 19 to October 14. In total, during this period employees of electricity metering and optimization of losses units of Distribution Zones of the branch carried out 214 raids, checked 466 businesses and 1,391 residential customers. They revealed 16 facts of non-contractual and 92 facts of non-metered electricity consumption with a total amount of 1.338 thousand kWh, damage amounted to 6.827 million rubles. 150 failed meters were replaced.
Conducting raids is one of the most effective measures to combat the theft of electricity, Tambovenergo organizes them regularly. Staff of the branch carries out inspections of power grid facilities for illegal connections, check correctness of operation of metering devices.
"Unscrupulous consumers, who may include both individuals and companies and organizations, often on their own connect to power grids, interfere with the operation of metering devices to distort real readings of energy consumption. Given the capacity of power installations illegally connected (often greater than 100 kW), energy thieves make significant damage to the electric grid company and conscientious consumers. Illegal connections, unauthorized wiring can cause voltage drops and short circuits in the grid. At the same time the implementation of independent connections can cause serious injuries, even fatal cases, to violators themselves," emphasizes the head of the electricity metering office of Tambovenergo Vyacheslav Salnikov.
Tambovenergo intends to continue the work to identify facts of theft of electricity, as well as combating illicit consumption of energy resources, using all available legal and administrative tools.