Nagpur: The Nagpur Circle of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) has detected 4,050 electricity thefts in the financial year 2023-24. This includes 334 cases of increasing electricity load and wrong tariff, 2,024 cases of electricity theft from power lines, and 1,692 cases of electricity meter tampering and other forms of direct electricity theft.
The value of electricity theft from all these types is as much as Rs 7.26 crore. MSEDCL has also registered FIRs against 149 persons involved in power thefts under the Indian Electricity Act.
In the financial year 2023-24, MSEDCL had launched a campaign against power theft prominently in Nagpur City, Nagpur Rural and Wardha. Out of the total incidents, 2,128 were reported in Nagpur city in which power theft worth Rs 4.46 crore was reported. Out of these, 1,593 consumers have been fined Rs 52.92 lakh as settlement while 146 consumers were booked.
Power theft is a serious issue MSEDCL faces as it suffers losses worth crores every year. Because of this the load on honest consumers, who pay bills regularly, increases as MSEDCL is many times forced to increase tariff because of losses.
MSEDCL said that they will continue the drive against power theft this fiscal year too.
