Hotline of power engineering specialists:
IDGC of Centre - Kostromaenergo division summed up the implementation of measures to identify and curb non-metered and non-contractual electricity consumption for 4 months of 2019.
During the raid work carried out by personnel of Distribution Zones and the branch’s electricity metering department, 178 facts of illegal consumption of electricity were revealed, including 14 facts jointly with specialists of the security unit. The total amount of non-metered and non-contractual energy consumption was 6.2 million kWh.
Special attention during the raids was paid to work with problem consumers. Their check was preceded by thorough preparation and instruction of raid participants by the specialists of the security unit. As part of the operational-search activities, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in the Kostroma region were involved in the raids in some cases.
For example, when checking the metering point of one of the garden associations (the metering point is installed in the consumer transformer substation), there was no film seals of the grid company previously installed on the metering device, as well as damage to the state of aggregation of the film seal with indication of magnetic effect. In addition, the consumer voluntarily (without notifying the grid and energy supplying organizations) replaced the measuring current transformers, installing new ones with overestimated transformation ratios, which created conditions for the consumption of electricity in excess of the power regulated by technical conditions. The volume of non-metered electricity consumption amounted to 1.9 million kWh or 12.7 million rubles. The applicant’s materials were sent to the territorial police department.
The power engineers remind that the legislation provides for severe punishment in relation to energy thieves. In case of detection of a fact of theft, the offender not only has to compensate for the damage to the electric grid company, but also can be brought to criminal or administrative liability. In accordance with Article 7.19 of the Code on Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation for unauthorized connection to electric grids and use of electricity, an administrative penalty is imposed: for citizens up to 15 thousand rubles, and for legal entities up to 200 thousand. And in the case of causing major damage, the guilty party already faces criminal liability with a punishment ranging from a large fine to imprisonment for up to two years with a fine.
Unauthorized connections can cause technological disruptions in the operation of the power system. Also, bona fide consumers suffer from criminal actions of electricity thieves: due to theft, power surges occur, household appliances break down, the probability of failures, fires and accidents increases.
You can report known facts of electricity theft by calling the round-the-clock direct line of power engineers at 8-800-50-50-115, the call is toll-free. You can also leave a message on the company’s website at www.mrsk-1.ru or send information to the e-mail box at vorunet@mrsk-1.ru.
