Power theft: To heave a sigh of relief for Adani Electricity Mumbai Ltd (AEML)

The vigilance team of Adani Electricity Mumbai Limited has executed a raid and busted direct use of the power supply in India. Using a three-phase direct supply interconnection from a power supply line to a changeover switch was found in a manufacturing facility in Andheri, Mumbai. The consumer has been switching metered supply to direct supply and vice versa using a changeover switch. According to the power utility’s statements, the direct supply is used for operating machinery having a total load of 58 KW.

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The modus operandi

It has been discovered that electricity is being consumed in Andheri East without using the utility company meter. Unrecorded electricity usage at the location was caused by an industrial customer using a three-phase direct supply and manipulating the circuitry. Without receiving source information, it can be difficult to identify this type of power theft. However, one can detect deviations from normal usage and gather crucial data on power theft using modern power consumption analysis technologies.

How much electricity was stolen and lost?

Around 11 Million (INR) revenue losses have been claimed by the power utility AEML. (1.45 Million USD) A criminal case has been filed against the factory’s owner under Section 135 of the Electricity Act. In the previous five years, the accused was discovered to have utilized 561,598 units of electricity. As part of their investigation into power theft, this has pointed the finger at the Indian power distribution company Adani Electricity Mumbai Ltd. A fraudulent user who consumed electricity without authorization for the past five years indicates that anti-power theft efforts in India have not yet gained much traction.

Conclusion

In India, it was formerly ardently believed that privatizing the electricity sector would eliminate power theft. The aforementioned episode, which cannot be regarded as an isolated instance, is a sign of insufficient enforcement efforts in India’s electricity sector to uncover irregularities related to power theft. The entire financial burden now falls on the honest citizens, who must pay exorbitant charges, because the authorities have allowed a consumer to steal widely. The Indian Electricity Regulator is eager to raise electricity tariffs regularly. Regular consumers who routinely pay electricity charges are now suffering from the effects of Power theft.