Written by: Basant El-Farmawy
The Egyptian Electricity Holding Company has denied the accuracy of what a woman circulated via a video clip on social media regarding the existence of violations in drafting electricity theft reports and the procedures for installing code meters and replacing broken meters, confirming that the necessary legal measures are being taken against her out of concern for the public interest.
A regulatory and legal system to confront electricity theft
The company explained that the electricity sector operates according to an integrated system of regulatory, legal, and technical mechanisms to confront electricity theft and address encroachments on the grid, ensuring the protection of public funds and achieving justice among subscribers. The system relies on qualified technical cadres holding the status of judicial officers, who undertake inspection, examination, and proof of violations within their legal jurisdictions, without holding any subscriber responsible without legal basis.
Unified controls for drafting theft reports
The company revealed the implementation of a unified system for drafting and reviewing electricity theft reports, through which all reports undergo examination and auditing processes to ensure the integrity of the evidence and the accuracy of calculating the value of illegal consumption. The controls require documenting the encroachment incident by video recording that shows the violation, whether direct illegal connections or tampering with the meter, in addition to photographing and inventorying the electrical loads at the site of the violation to accurately determine the amount of energy misappropriated.
Expansion in the installation of smart meters
In a related context, the company confirmed the continued expansion in the use of smart meters to develop the consumption measurement system, improve the efficiency of distribution network management, and reduce violations. Smart meters allow for the accurate recording of consumption data and its automatic transmission to control centers, which helps in detecting abnormal patterns and tampering attempts, improves billing accuracy, and reduces electrical loss. The implementation of a plan to install them for large subscribers on medium and low voltages has begun, in specific areas in Cairo, Alexandria, and Damietta.
Appeal to citizens to report thefts
The company praised the role of cooperative citizens through the complaints and reports system, emphasizing the importance of community participation in protecting the grid and ensuring the sustainability of the electricity supply, and stressed the continuation of legal measures against the promotion of rumors and incorrect information targeting the sector, while continuing to develop oversight and improve services.
