‘Shocking’ disclosure…Electricity thieves attempt to hack into GPL’s system

Nov 28, 2012 News

Attempts have been made to hack into the state-owned Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) system to steal electricity, a senior official has said.
Speaking with reporters earlier this week, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Bharat Dindyal, said the company had to seek external help and was able to identify one person.

GPL’s CEO, Bharat Dindyal

Five other individuals are on the radar, the senior executive said.
The attempts to hack into GPL’s servers all had to do with the prepaid meters that the company is offering.
The hackers were attempting to manipulate the internal systems at GPL for “free power”, Dindyal said.
“Of course, we are looking at the issue with a lot of interest…able to identify one individual…with some assistance.”
It is the first report of its kind, adding to the list of enterprising ways consumers have been attempting to steal electricity.
From bypassing meters to hooking up directly to the power lines, GPL has been grappling with the electricity theft from consumers for years now. It has accounted for major losses in revenue.
Dindyal admitted that laws to deal with cyber crimes are non-existent locally, making it hard to prosecute.
The CEO was at the time speaking about prepaid meters which were introduced just less than two years ago.
Although slow at first to attract “suspicious’ consumers, the prepaid meters have been growing in demand over recent months. It is especially so for landlords not too enthusiastic about tenants leaving them indebted to the power company.
GPL, the CEO disclosed, had placed an order for 12,000 of the prepaid meters, which are due to arrive in January. There are a few thousands waiting for them.
“I think people now know a lot more of the value of having a prepaid meter.”
GPL is attempting to keep up with the demands.
Even the prepaid meters are being bypassed.
Dindyal said, however, that GPLis catching up with the culprits and “they will have to deal with the consequences”. (Leonard Gildarie)