Manila Electric Company (Meralco) is intensifying its campaign against electricity theft, leaning on stronger cooperation with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and new investments aimed at further reducing system losses.
During a House Committee on Energy Technical Working Group meeting, Meralco Senior Vice President and Head of Networks Engr. Froilan J. Savet credited the PNP for its role in enforcing Republic Act No. 7832, or the Anti-Electricity and Electric Transmission Lines/Materials Pilferage Act.
“We are thankful to the Philippine National Police for their help and we renewed our memorandum of understanding with them last June 8. Last month, we also met with PNP officials to discuss ways to strengthen the campaign against pilferage,” Savet said.
Electricity theft contributes to non-technical system losses, which include power lost through illegal connections, meter tampering and other forms of pilferage.
Savet said Meralco has already submitted to the Energy Regulatory Commission its investment requirements for programs designed to further bring down these losses.
“Non-technical losses are primarily driven by unlawful acts, criminal acts which need collective effort by law enforcement agencies, community, barangay, customers, and of course the government,” he said.
Meralco stressed that distribution utilities cannot eliminate electricity theft on their own and that sustained enforcement and community participation are essential.
“Electricity pilferage is a crime against the state and cannot be eradicated by distribution utilities and electric cooperatives acting alone, no matter how substantial the resources allocated,” said Meralco Senior Vice President and Head of Regulatory Management Atty. Jose Ronald V. Valles.
Valles also reiterated the company’s commitment to reducing system losses, which can help improve operational efficiency and support efforts to keep electricity costs under control.
Beyond its partnership with law enforcement, Meralco has expanded its anti-pilferage campaign to include the scrap industry and other stakeholders to prevent stolen electrical wires, equipment and other materials from being sold and recycled back into the market.
The utility also conducts regular inspections of meters and other electrical facilities while investing in technologies and systems that can detect irregularities, deter illegal connections and improve the efficiency of its distribution network.
Meralco said it will continue pursuing measures to lower both technical and non-technical system losses as part of efforts to strengthen the reliability, safety and security of its electricity distribution system.