The number of illegal electricity connections has increased gradually across the country resulting in loss of revenues worth crores of taka.
Four distribution companies disconnected a total of 1,504 illegal connections in different areas of the country in December 2013.
It is suspected that over 200MW electricity is being pilfered daily through these illegal connections, distribution agency officials claimed.
They also said such illegal demand for power was unidentified, which created serious problems during load management and financial loss for the agencies.
Four distribution companies have disconnected a total of 1,504 illegal electricity connections in different areas of the country in December 2013. They disconnected 919 illegal electricity connections in August, according to the documents placed at the power division’s coordination meeting yesterday.
Despite having information about it, the distribution companies are yet to take any initiative, and continue to only cut or disconnect illegal connections.
“We have disconnected 30,915 electricity connections in December 2013 for not paying their due bills worth Tk22.3 crore,” Suman Mehedi, the senior information officer of power ministry, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday.
Five companies – Power Development Board, Rural Electrification Board (REB), Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited (DPDC), Dhaka Electric Supply Company Limited (Desco) and West Zone Power Distribution Company Limited (WZPDCL) – distribute electricity through meters across the country.
Of those illegal connections, 8,900 connections were under PDB, 16,867 under REB, 1,640 under DPDC, 2,895 under Desco and 613 under WZPDCL.
Makeshift shops in Dhaka, other cities and big towns keep using electricity through illegal connections for several hours, power distribution agency officials said.
The connections are reportedly provided by people identifying themselves as linesmen of power supply authorities.
The so-called linesmen are making money from the illegal power consumption.
In some areas the illegal connections are given from the main lines and in some other areas from nearby shops.
Distribution agencies do not get the price of the electricity consumed by illegal consumers although they spend much more than the tariff set by the agencies, officials said.
Syndicates backed by distribution companies’ officers with linesmen of power distribution agencies have developed a business of providing such makeshift shops with illegal connections.
PDB Chairman Md Abduhu Ruhullah said power pilferage had reduced significantly, particularly in cities. He also said illegal consumers usually take connections from nearby shops or houses having meters.
“It is, however, not possible to check the pilferage all the time everywhere,” he added.
DPDC managing director Md. Nazrul Hasan admitted the power pilferage.
He said they DPDC was conducting drives against illegal connections to curb pilferage.
“No official or employee will dare to be involved in these acts. Local people might try to pass themselves off as DPDC men to carry on with their misdeeds.” he claimed.
