Hotline of power engineering specialists:
On the eve of 1 April – the Laughter Day – IDGC of Centre – Smolenskenergo division warns consumers that any false reports about the threat of a terrorist attack or mining of energy facilities are prosecuted by law and may cost several years of imprisonment.
Smolensk power engineers remind that power lines and substations supply not only private consumers with electricity, but also hospitals, schools, water-lifting stations and other socially significant facilities of the region, the disruption of which can lead to serious consequences. Therefore, any report on the threat of a terrorist act is worked out by specialists of Smolenskenergo’s security unit with involvement of operational services of the Directorates of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the FSB in the Smolensk region.
For example, at the end of 2015, IDGC of Centre’s hot line received a message about the threat of an explosion of a transformer substation (TS-124) in the settlement of Gnezdovo of the Smolensk region, which belongs to IDGC of Centre – Smolenskenergo division. Information through operators of the branch went to the security department, whose employees immediately brought the received threat to officers on duty of the FSB, the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the Smolensk region. The address of the caller was found and the operative group with explosive technicians left for the place of the alleged terrorist attack, who did not find any suspicious objects - the message was false. The next day, a suspect was found, who committed the crime.
According to the Russian legislation, those who reported deliberately false information about an impending explosion or arson are punishable under Art. 207 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation "A knowingly false report on an act of terrorism". This article of the law provides for punishment both in the form of a fine of up to 200 thousand rubles, and imprisonment for up to three years.
It should be noted that under the article for false reports of the terrorist act, persons, who have reached the age of 14, can be brought to justice.
The power company is asking all those, who witness any suspicious activity near grid facilities (power lines, substations), immediately report this to law enforcement authorities, as well as via the around the clock direct line of power engineers at 8-800-50-50-115.