Mkpoikana Udoma
06 September 2017, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt – The spate of energy theft in the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHEDC, has become a major source of huge revenue loss to the distribution company that is saddled with the responsibility of supplying power in Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River and Rivers states.
To this end, the Port Harcourt Disco has threatened to arrest and prosecute any person, group or corporate body found to be engaged in energy theft in its network.
Acting Chief Executive Officer of the company, Engr. Kingsley Achife, gave the warning during a townhall meeting on Customers’ Bill of Right in Port Harcourt.
Achife said more than 30 percent of the company’s anticipated revenue is lost to energy theft on a monthly basis.
The PHEDC boss, who described the situation as unacceptable, said the company has collaborated with security agencies and that a crack team of anti-energy theft squad has been established to work with the Revenue Protection Department, RPD, of the company.
“We can assure you that anybody caught in meter tampering, by-pass through diversion of load or hooking directly to power lines shall not go scot free, he or she must face the full weight of law.
“We cannot continue to condone energy thieves in our network, it must be stopped.
“This is an era of energy accountability and for us to sustain the power industry, energy theft must be eradicated.
“We urge every member of the public to join in the war against energy theft and it must be won,” Achife said.
He also expressed optimism that with the warning and the setting up of the crack team of anti- energy theft, the company is battle ready to tackle the ugly monster called energy theft in the system.
