800 million euros – this is the burden that consumers bear due to theft of electricity

According to the Ombudsman, the astronomical amount of “shortage” of 789 million euros turned into the fact that last year the accounts of households and enterprises were “inflated” due to theft of electricity.

In 2022, due to high electricity prices, a number of citizens committed illegal acts. Theft of electricity is practiced either by cunning people and scammers (they wind up the meter), or poor households that do not have access to electricity (they connect themselves to the network).

According to the data presented by the Ombudsman during the conference on the energy crisis, for 2022, consumers will be burdened with an amount of 789 million euros for the theft of electricity. ΔΕΔΔΗΕ defines the losses of the distribution network, which are divided into “technical” and “non-technical”. The last category is “clean water” theft.

The total cost of losses is passed on to electricity suppliers, who in turn pass it on to their consumers.

According to Assistant Ombudsman Ms Daphne Philippakis, the total cost of losses for 2021 is estimated at 591 million euros, of which 209 million euros were electricity theft.

For his part, the general manager of ΔΕΔΔΗΕ Network Development and Management Efstratios Zacharis, speaking at the same event, estimated the level of electricity theft at 5%, while stressing that with the installation of “smart” (electronic) meters, the total losses will decrease to 0.2% in 2030

Representative of ΔΕΔΔΗΕ reacted negatively to the Ombudsman’s proposal for a more flexible interpretation of the regulatory framework at this stage, because, according to him, it can be misinterpreted. As noted, the ombudsman in his special report on the energy crisis explains the rise in electricity theft by householdswho, being unable to repay their debts, face power outages. Then they move on to illegal reconnections.

In some cases, unauthorized connection to a high-voltage network turns into a fatal outcome. So, in a gypsy settlement 5-year-old girl dies of electrocutionwhich accidentally touched the wires while playing in the yard.

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