Latest update November 8th, 2024 1:00 AM
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Reducing illegal connections in Sophia, environs challenging – GPL
By Rabindra Rooplall
Several lengthy bamboo stems lined with conductors and hooks that are being used to attach to utility poles to obtain illegal power.
Raids by Guyana Power and Light (GPL) technical teams, spearheaded by representatives from the Company’s Loss Reduction Department and the Guyana Police Force, were carried out in Sophia yesterday, during which time illegal street lamps and unmetered supplies were removed.
Loss Reduction remains a critical component in GPL’s sustainability, and the Company has been carrying out constant raids countrywide and despite such raids in Sophia and Cummings Park, the power company has consistently been faced with meter tampering, bypass and illegal connections.
GPL officials explained that the cost of stolen electricity is being passed on to the other consumers. Some persons even risk their lives to steal electricity and a number of them have died in the process. Children are killed accidentally while playing because of crudely installed wiring – wires which were not meant for electrical transmission. Homes have been destroyed by fire as well. But many persist in making illegal connections to their homes.
Billions of dollars and several initiatives have been utilized to address the problem. However, GPL has made modest gains in containing electricity theft and reducing the percentage of electricity lost to theft, while recognizing that persons continue to find newer and more sophisticated ways to steal electricity. The Company has intensified its efforts to deal with the problem.
During the raid yesterday, officials noted that they have increased the length of the utility poles to 60 feet and raised the wires even higher in Sophia. However, “unscrupulous persons have still found a way to attach themselves illegally to the power supply”.
On some utility poles there were connections placed directly on the conductors of the transformers. It appears as if after these connections were made persons seeking illegal power would either sever or screw out the steps placed on the utility pole so as to make GPL operatives work harder in disconnecting the illegal connection.
Officials explained that right-thinking, community-minded persons must assist the authorities in bringing a halt to this practice by reporting on it whenever they see it happening.
The Electricity Sector Reform Act outlines severe penalties for persons found guilty of electricity theft. The authorities have made several raids in these communities before, but they are not sure of the kind of impact they have had in reducing the number of illegal connections. The conviction rate is very minimal when compared to the number of persons charged for electricity theft.
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