Hotline of power engineering specialists:
Employees of IDGC of Centre - Lipetskenergo division on a routine basis came to take readings from the meter in a beer bar in the city of Yelets. Here the power engineers had a surprise: the entrepreneur laid the cable bypassing the meter. Thus, the businessman connected without metering all the refrigeration equipment of the diner.
Employees of Yeletsky Distribution Zone made an act, the owner of the bar will have to pay 88 thousand rubles for non-metered consumption of electricity. In addition, the entrepreneur will have to transfer the meter from the premises to the facade of the building. The businessman wrote with his own hand in the act: "I will compensate for the damage caused", but after a few days he reported his disagreement with the check findings.
"The reaction is understandable: stealing other people’s money, but you will have to pay your own. In addition to a solid bill for the stolen electricity the entrepreneur is also waiting for administrative responsibility. Article 7.19 of the Code of Administrative Offenses for the unauthorized use of electricity provides fines for legal entities from 100 to 200 thousand rubles. The court will name the exact amount to the businessman," the deputy chief for sale of services of Yeletsky Distribution Zone, Andrey Gerasimov, described all financial consequences of the energy theft.
But not only businessmen are seen in illegal attempts to save on paying for electricity. The administration of one of rural settlements of the Lipetsk region will pay more than one hundred thousand budget rubles under the act of non-metered consumption, as well as a fine prescribed by law. Employees of Lipetskenergo during taking readings in the building of the village council found broken seals and an additional cable connected to the meter. As the power engineers found out, it led to the neighbouring construction site. Next to the administration a new palace of culture is being built.
"Representatives of the administration claim that they do not have any relationship to the theft of electricity. In all, the builders are blamed, ostensibly, that they threw the illegal tap. But the meter is in the building of the village council, which means that its employees bear full responsibility for the integrity of the metering system. I would like to draw the attention of all our customers: in no case should outsiders have connection to meters. This can lead to serious troubles and financial costs," Sergey Vetrov, deputy director for sale and development of services of IDGC of Centre - Lipetskenergo division, commented on the situation.
In total, in the first half of 2018, the Lipetsk power engineers drew up 761 acts of non-metered and non-contractual consumption. The total amount that residents of the Lipetsk region will have to pay for the stolen electricity has exceeded 77 million rubles.
