Hotline of power engineering specialists:
IDGC of Centre – Orelenergo division conducts systematic work to combat theft of electricity. In order to identify and suppress facts of unauthorized energy consumption, Orelenergo’s specialists implement a set of control and technical measures.
Among them is the installation of antimagnetic seals on electricity meters. These devices allow to reveal at the visual inspection stage the fact of the magnetic field effect, which distorted the energy consumption indicators (this method is often used by unscrupulous consumers). A sign of uncontrolled consumption with the use of a magnet is the violation of the indicator magnetic - an "exploded" seal.
In 2016, Orelenergo’s employees installed 1,000 antimagnetic seals on consumers’ meters. This year this work will continue. In particular, it is planned to equip these devices with 100% metering devices of legal entities.
Cases of unauthorized energy consumption are also revealed in targeted raids conducted by Orelenergo’s employees on a regular basis. Thus, in 2016, they identified 225 cases of non-contractual and non-metered energy consumption. Infringers compensated the damage inflicted on the branch by 2.7 million rubles. According to the revealed facts, acts of non-contractual and non-metered energy consumption and protocols on administrative violations were drawn up and subsequently transferred to court. Most unscrupulous consumers preferred to recover the damage in a pre-trial order.
It is worth noting that in the case of an uncovered fact of non-contractual and non-metered consumption, an unscrupulous consumer compensates not only the damage caused: a large administrative fine may be imposed on him. Since 1 January 2016 the amount of fines for illegal electricity consumption has increased several times: for citizens - up to 15 thousand rubles, for officials - up to 80 thousand rubles, for legal entities - up to 200 thousand rubles.
In addition, if there are sufficient grounds, the guilty person may be brought to criminal liability. Such severity of punishment is caused by high risks, which carry unauthorized manipulations with meters and electrical equipment for both violators and bona fide consumers. They can lead to electric shocks, voltage drops in the grid, a decrease in the quality and reliability of power supply, failure of household appliances, and in some cases - to fires.
Energy theft harms the interests of the region as a whole, as Orelenergo spends the funds received for electricity transmission services, among other things, on improving the reliability of energy supply to consumers, the fulfillment of contractual obligations for capacity supply for new social and residential facilities in the Orel region.
Conscientious consumers can help power engineers to identify facts of energy theft, informing about possible cases of theft via the Direct phone line of power engineers at 8 800 50 50 115 or their Distribution Zone.