ELECTRICITY THEFT AND ITS IMPLICATIONS

Odisha State Electricity Board is unbundled to GRIDCO , OPTCL , OHPC , OPGC , OTPCL , NESCO , wesco , SOUTHCO and CESU , GRIDCO is licensee for trading power inside and outside the state . OPTCL is having licensee authority for transmission of power as per GRIDCO’s  trading activity . OHPC , OPGC , OTPCL and other private generating companies are license of generating power . NESCO , WESCO , SOUTHCO & CESU are the license of distributing energy to the consumer inside the state as utility sectors . OERC is the regulatory authority to have balance over generation , transmission , distribution and consumers . Tariff is declared by the OERC after a public hearing from all the above mentioned organization including consumers . This unbundling was made to have individual responsibility & accountability of the organization and its employees . We may have L.T. loss of Odisha state for the year 1999 is 55.11% where as in 2010-2011 it is of 55.04% . This shows that there is no such improvement during these 11 years in L.T. sector . Similarly L.T. collection of the state has been reduced from 77.19% to 73.09% . At & C loss had been increased from 65.35% to 66.08% . In this case one DISCOM may be considered where L.T. loss is reduced from 62.26% to 54.94% collection efficiency from 79.37% to 59.09% & AT & C loss increased from 70.05% to 73.02% . From the annual purchased unit during 2010-2011 . It is analyzed as below : -

1 . Energy purchase – 5067.4 million units (MU) % of total purchase

2 .(i) EHT billing               1777.5 MU       35.1

(ii) HT input billing             0523.5 MU       10.3

(iv) Total input

(EHT + HT + HT loss)         2332.4 MU       46.0

3 . L.T input                    2735.0 MU       54.0

4 . T&D loss (HT+LT)         0355.0 MU       07.0

5 . Total LT input               2380.0 MU       47.0

(excluding loss)

6 . L.T billing                   1134.0 MU        22.5

7 . L.T theft                    1245.5 MU        24.5

This LT theft comes 1245.5 MU out of LT input of 2380 MU excluding loss & 2735 MU of total LT input which comes to 45.5% of total LT drawl to the system of distribution company  . The cost of the theft of electricity as per input cost comes to rupees of 272.14 crores @Rs.2.185 per unit which is annual loss to the company ultimately to the state . If considered for all DISCOM of Odisha state , it will be of rupees 1088.5 crores approximately . For generating this theft of energy of 5357 MU in the state , the national resources are lost & its cost comes to 1875 crores of rupees @ Rs.3.50 per unit generation cost .

It is essential to restrict theft of energy for the state for which the electricity Act 2003 may be implemented with true spirit which is very stringent one. State government & Distribution Company should take effective steps for saving state revenue with a greater interest. In the respect the electricity Act 2003 amended in 2007 may be implemented by DISCOM & Government which can reduce some losses in the state .

If any consumer found or noticed using electricity unauthorized manner then the sanctioned load in any manner will come under theft electricity. For that the case will be registered in energy police station under SECTION – 135 of the electricity Act 2003 with assessment under SECTION- 126 of the electricity Act where amount of unauthorized consumption is assessed by the assessing officer as per single phase or three phase connections by the supply Engineer.

The assessment amount for theft of energy is two times of prevailing tariff for one year as provisional assessment and after hearing the reply from the consumer this assessment amount will be finalized within one month from the date of issue of provisional order by SDO/AM or E.E/Manager as the case may be .

The authorized officers of investigating / inspecting the consumer as per notification of Govt. of Odisha vide gazette notification 694 dated 21/05/2004 are declared as assessing officer as mentioned below  :-

1 . Single phase consumer – Assistant Engineer/Manager & Above .

2 . Three phase consumer – Executive Engineer/Manager and Above of concerned distribution company .

The consumer has every right to appeal before the appellant authority against such final assessment order if aggrieved . The appellate authority are declared as mentioned below as per energy Dept. notification 9485 dated 8/9/2004 . This is as per SECTION-127 of Electricity Act 2003 .

1 . For consumer having 230 volt & 440 volt supply as per agreement (LT category) – Deputy electrical Inspector of the jurisdiction .

2 . Consumer having 11KV & 33KV supply as per agreement (HT category)- Electrical Inspector of that jurisdiction .

3 . Consumer having 132KV & 220KV supply as per agreement (EHT category)- Chief Electrical Inspector  .

No appeal will be  entertained by appellate authority unless 50% of assessment amount of final assessment order is deposited in the licensee (Distribution Company) within one month of final order .

In this context for dishonest abstraction of power or theft of electricity in any manner or unauthorized use of power other than sanctioned load as per agreement action may be initiated as per section-135 of the electricity Act 2003 .

THEFT OF ELECTRICITY MEANS :-

1) Hooking on the line or tamper or cut the cables , wires .

2) Tamper of meter seals .

3) Damage of meter or burnt of meters of T.P. box .

4) Using electricity through tampered/defective meters or no meters .

5) Using electricity other then purpose of agreement (means domestic to commercial or agricultural to domestic/commercial or domestic to industrial etc .)

This F.I.R. will be lodged in the police station on writing by the supply engineer or authorized engineer .In this case the assessed amount may be collected from the consumer & line can be restored with proper metering even if the F.I.R. is lodged under SECTION-135 . For inspecting such unauthorized consumption one authorized officer may enter to domestic consumer’s premises provided an adult male member is present in the premises during sunset to sunrise time . For other consumer’s he may enter round the clock for such inspection or seizure or search .

Possessing theft of electric line & materials as per SECTION-136 & its punishment under SECTION-137 for receiving such stolen material shall be with imprisonment of either description for a term which may be extended to 3 years or with fine or with both .

As per SECTION-138 , he who unauthorized connect or reconnect meter , works with line’s property , injures meter , indicator or apparatus may be punishable with imprisonment to 3 year’s or fine of Rs.10,000/- or with both .

As per SECTION-150 , whoever  abets on offence punishable under this electricity Act 2003 with  punishment provided for offence . If any officer or employee of licensee enter in to or acquiesces in any agreement to do , abstain for doing , permits ,conceals or connives at any act or thing where by any theft of electricity committed he shall be punishable with imprisonment for terms which extended to 3 year or fine or both .

As per SECTION-153 , there is a special court in each district as on declared by government to trial the offences under SECTION-(135 or 140 section 150) .

CONCLUSION

Around 45% loss occurred due to theft of electricity in L.T  sector causing a huge financial loss to the state & DISCOMS . Ultimately it helps to increase T & D loss in the system , unbalance of the system causing burning of transformer , snapping of conductors , frequent interruption and financial crisis for which all consumer’s and state are suffering exponentially . Maintaining electricity rules & regulation strictly can also save the human life and build-up a prosperous state . Let us felt the necessity of implementation of this Act and save the state from future disaster . Energy is precious & utilize it efficiently as per necessity . Strong vigilance and enforcement action may save the Odisha to some extent . Let us hope for the best .

Er.S.P. Mallick (M.E. Roorkee) , DGM (Electrical),NESCO