Nasty jolt in store for crooks

THE National Energy Authority (NEA) has warned people and companies tampering with electricity supply meters that these are serious offences and those found guilty by a competent court can be fined or jailed.
Interim managing director of the newly-established independent electricity and energy services regulator, Vore Veve, said the NEA Act 2021 was specific under Section 116 of the Act which authorised the authority to prosecute persons or companies found to have tampered with electricity facilities such as meters.
He urged business houses, institutions and individuals to work with PNG Power Ltd (PPL) on the warning.
The authority will work with PPL to prosecute those who are found to have broken the law.
“I also urge PPL to investigate allegations of the involvement of PNG Power workers in this electricity fraud and to deal with them,” Veve said.
He said the penalties included fines of up to K2,000 or jail up to three years.
Veve said the Government decided to remove the regulatory functions from PNG Power and Independent Consumer and Competition Commission (ICCC).
“Among the many reasons is for the establishment of NEA to be independent and to address the issue of electricity fraud and work towards efficiency in electricity services,” he said.
“NEA is setting up its inspections and compliance branches and will vigorously pursue illegal generation, connection and use of electricity, but, while in transition, NEA will work with PPL in its effort to tackle the issue of electricity theft and tampering of meters.
“My officers are meeting with PPL officers tomorrow (today) to discuss issues of common interest in the separation of regulatory powers from PPL and to NEA.
“We are also planning a meeting this month with all lPPs to explain the new law to them and their obligations.”
Veve said the Government was embarking on major revenue-earning projects and building up SMEs and electricity was the enabler, therefore, the need to properly manage the electricity sector.
The new regulator was recently established after the NEA law was passed by Parliament in April and gazetted on July 6, making it operational.
All technical and economic regulatory powers previously performed by PPL and the ICCC will now transfer to the new energy regulatory.
Meanwhile, Veve announced that NEA would be embarking on awareness on the new law and going out to inspect power generation companies for regulatory and licensing compliance and awareness on the new generation levies authorised by law and licensing fees paid previously to ICCC.