Hotline of power engineering specialists:
An entrepreneur did not inform Lipetskenergo about the malfunction of the metering system.
Employees of IDGC of Centre - Lipetskenergo division paid attention to a sharp decrease in the electricity consumption of one of enterprises. The quarry, which is engaged in the extraction of calcareous stone in the Lipetsk region, began to transmit reading three times as low as usual. The power engineers went to the enterprise with a check.
As it turned out, the metering device was faulty in the quarry for a long time. Under the terms of the contract, the enterprise was to notify the power engineers immediately of a breakdown of the meter. However, this was not done. And although the manager denied self-interest in concealing information, but it was impossible to fail to notice the difference in the meter’s readings.
In accordance with the "Basic Provisions for the Operation of Retail Electricity Markets" approved by Government Resolution No. 442, the case of the Lipetsk quarry falls into the category of non-metered electricity consumption. The employees of IDGC of Centre - Lipetskenergo division made an act. According to the calculations of the specialists, the volume of non-metered consumption amounted to 2 million 432 thousand kWh. The company will have to pay for it more than 18 million rubles.
"The power supply system works simply. For example, a businessman who deliberately kept silent about the malfunction of the meter, tomorrow during a strong wind wires will break on a power line. And Lipetskenergo does not have money to repair the high-voltage line, to send specialized vehicles, there is no money to pay an electrician for overtime work - the owner of the house "saved" it, having underpaid in his quarry. So, he will be sitting without light. Both he and his neighbours. Managers, who do not want to pay electricity honestly, should understand that they ultimately steal from themselves. Moreover, non-metered consumption of electricity threatens the reliability of electricity supply of the entire region. After all, money that businesses are trying to save, underestimating the real volume of consumption, should go for repair and modernization of the power grid infrastructure," summed up Deputy Director for Sale and Development of Services of IDGC of Centre - Lipetskenergo division Sergey Vetrov.
