Hotline of power engineering specialists:
Power engineers of IDGC of Centre - Kostromaenergo division continue to conduct raids to identify and suppress non-metered and non-contractual electricity consumption. Another raid took place in Kostroma. Specialists of the electricity metering department and the security department of the branch checked electricity meters with legal entities and residential customers, held preventive talks with them about the need to observe electrical safety rules.
During the check, facts of theft of electricity in a private residential sector were revealed. So, one of negligent consumers decided to save on paying for electricity by splitting the cable to the meter, that is, made a connection that is not metered. In respect of the offender, an act was drawn up, according to which the amount of non-metered consumption of electricity will be calculated in accordance with the norms established by law.
In total for the first 4 months, experts of Kostromaenergo identified 274 facts of illegal consumption of electric energy with a total volume of 5.28 million Wh.
The energy company reminds that the legislation provides for a strict punishment for energy thieves. In case of revealing a fact of theft, the offender not only has to compensate the damage to the power grid company, but can be also 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. And in case of causing major damage, the perpetrator already faces criminal liability, with a fine ranging from a large fine to imprisonment for up to two years with a fine.
Unauthorized connections may cause technological malfunctions in the operation of a power system. Also, bona fide consumers, who regularly pay bills for electricity, suffer greatly from criminal acts of violators: because of thefts, there are voltage fluctuations in the grid, household appliances are out of order, the probability of failures, fires and accidents increases.
To report facts of theft of electricity known to you, you can call the 24-hour direct line of power engineers at 8-800-50-50-115, the call is toll-free. Also, you can leave a message on the company’s website at www.mrsk-1.ru or send information to the e-mail vorunet@mrsk-1.ru.
