The Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC) has observed with worry the resurge of power theft or illegal connection activities in the Northern Region again. According to the commission, some customers of the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) have been caught engaging in illegal connections in the past few weeks.
“It has come to the notice of the Commission that illegal connection activities are becoming rife in the region once again. For the past few weeks, countless numbers of consumers of NEDCo have been caught engaging in illegal connection activities.”
The Northern Region Head Office of the PURC in a circular sighted by THE CUSTODIAN further condemned such acts perpetuated by members of the public.
The commission has also made it clear that any consumer found culpable will be dealt with ruthlessly in accordance with the relevant laws of the country.
“The PURC wishes to condemn this illegal act in no uncertain terms and wants to make it clear that any consumer found culpable will be dealt with ruthlessly in accordance with the relevant laws. Illegal connection activities should not be encouraged in our society.”
Meanwhile, the Northern Electricity Distribution Company is losing as much as 45% of electricity it sells to consumers every month in the Northern Operational Area.
The figure is attributable to the rampant cases of power theft and nonpayment of electricity bills by customers in the area.
However, the PURC regulations only allows for a lost margin of 22 percent in respective of the electricity distribution company
Management of NEDCo have consistently over the years lamented how this is affecting the operations of the company and the delivery of their mandate in providing quality and uninterrupted electricity supply to consumers.
The regulator has therefore called on the traditional leaders, opinion leaders, Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Assembly members, religious leaders and all patriotic citizens to rise to the occasion and openly condemn the miscreants engaged in such lawless acts in the society.
As part efforts to mitigate the situation, the PURC Northern Regional under the leadership of Mr. Edward Boduah, adopted the “Rescue Agenda” for this year.
This is part of the commission’s operational efficiency to assist the Utility Service Providers to reduce their commercial losses (illegal connections and nonpayment of bills) and also make them more efficient and viable to provide better service to the people.
