Hotline of power engineering specialists:
IDGC of Centre summed up the results of the implementation in January-February 2018 of measures to identify and suppress non-metered and non-contractual electricity consumption.
In the course of the large-scale raid work carried out by personnel of Distribution Zones and electricity metering departments of the company’s branches, including together with specialists of the security unit, 653 facts of illegal electricity consumption were identified in the service area of IDGC of Centre (11 subjects of the Central Federal District). The total amount of non-metered and non-contractual energy consumption was 19.5 million kWh.
198 cases of theft were detected with legal entities, their total volume was 12.6 million kWh.
Particular attention during the raids was paid to work with consumers who had previously been convicted of illegal electricity consumption. Their inspection was preceded by thorough preparation and instruction of raid participants by specialists of security units. In the context of conducting operational search activities, in a number of cases, employees of the regional offices of the FSB and the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs were involved in the raids.
The energy company takes measures to compensate for the damage. In respect of violators who have not voluntarily made it, court decisions are being made on recovery. On the remaining facts, the claims and lawsuits are under way.
In addition, the applicant’s materials on the facts of unauthorized electricity consumption, identified by the security unit of IDGC of Centre, were sent to law enforcement agencies. Based on the results of their consideration, criminal cases were initiated on the basis of elements of the offense provided for in para. b of Part 2 of Article 165 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation ("causing property damage to the owner of property by the abuse of confidence in the absence of signs of embezzlement, which caused particularly large damage").
One of the largest cases of theft since the beginning of the year was stopped by the company’s specialists in February in the Tambov region. During a planned inspection in the village of Gosteevka (Michurinsky district) they found damage to the seal in the power installation operating on the territory of the sunflower processing plant. The amount of damage from non-metered energy consumption was 2.232 million rubles. On this fact, the power engineers drafted an act. An application was made to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Russia in Michurinsky district to bring the guilty person to justice.
And in the Lipetsk region, one of residents of the village of Bolshoy Khomutets in Dobrovsky district, who had unauthorizedly connected electricity to the new house, after intervening by IDGC of Centre’s employees, paid 109,000 rubles under a non-contractual consumption act.
IDGC of Centre reminds that the legislation provides for a strict punishment in respect of energy thieves. In case of detection of electricity theft, the violator not only compensates for the damage to the power grid company, but is also brought to criminal or administrative responsibility with payment of a fine. It should be noted that since 1 January 2016 Russia has tightened administrative responsibility for energy theft. In particular, the amount of fines for unauthorized connection and use of electricity has been increased.
Bona fide consumers, who regularly pay bills for electricity, suffer greatly from criminal acts of violators: because of the thefts: there are voltage fluctuations in the grid, household appliances are out of order, the probability of failures, fires and accidents increases.
IDGC of Centre intends to consistently seek compensation for damage by unscrupulous consumers. It should be recalled that the company spends funds collected from energy thieves, including financing of the main production activities, ensuring reliable and uninterrupted power supply to consumers.
