Hotline of power engineering specialists:
IDGC of Centre - Voronezhenergo division summed up the results of work on combating theft of electricity for 10 months of 2017. During this period specialists of the electricity metering office and security unit of the branch conducted about 650 raids, during which they revealed more than 1.8 thousand facts of non-metered and non-contractual energy consumption with a total volume of about 15.3 million kWh.
Most of the detected violations were committed by individuals: 1,466 facts of theft totalling more than 8.9 million kWh were attributed to citizens. In all cases of energy theft, acts were drawn up in accordance with which unscrupulous consumers should compensate for the grid enterprise.
The power engineers remind that the legislation provides for strict punishment for energy theft. In case of revealing a fact of theft, the offender not only has to compensate the damage to the power grid company, but also can be brought to criminal or administrative responsibility. In accordance with Article 7.19 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation for an unauthorized connection to electric grids and use of electricity, an administrative fine is provided: for citizens up to 15 thousand rubles, and for legal entities up to 200 thousand rubles. And in case of causing major damage, the perpetrator already faces criminal liability, with a punishment ranging from a fine to imprisonment for up to two years with a fine.
So, in September 2017, Voronezhenergo’s employees during the next raid revealed a fact of non-metered energy consumption by one of residents of the village of Aleshki in Ternovsky district. This citizen had a failed metering device, but he, knowing about this, did not take any action to replace it, continuing to consume electricity without a meter. In late November 2017, the justice court found him guilty and fined 10 thousand rubles.
More serious punishment threatens the owner of one of outlets in the village of Endovischi in Semiluksky district. In August, during a raid the power engineers found that the entrepreneur had unauthorizedly connected his facility to electric grids. The damage from his actions amounted to more than 560 thousand rubles. The security unit of Voronezhenergo sent an application to law enforcement agencies to initiate criminal proceedings under Article 165 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (Causing property damage by deception or abuse of trust).
It should be noted that bona fide consumers also suffer from criminal acts of offenders: because of the theft, there are voltage fluctuations in the grid, household appliances are out of order, the probability of failures, fires and accidents increases.
Voronezhenergo’s specialists urge residents of the Voronezh region to jointly fight against "energy theft" - you can report cases of theft of electric power by telephone of the direct line of power engineers at 8 800 50 50 115 (free of charge). You can also leave a message on the company’s website at www.mrsk-1.ru. All messages are confidential.
