PLN cuts illegal connections<\/p>\n
Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post\/Jakarta<\/p>\n
In a bid to reduce \"leakage\" of electricity, state electricity
\nfirm PLN has cut hundreds of illegal connections in Depok, West
\nJava on Thursday.<\/p>\n
Some 40 PLN employees and dozens of police officers combed 512
\nareas where illegal connections were rampant, including the
\nAtsiri Permai housing complex in Bojong Gede and areas along Jl.
\nKaca Piring in Depok and along Jl. Parung in Bogor.<\/p>\n
Most of the illegal connections were for street lighting.<\/p>\n
\"No one was arrested as we have no idea who made these illegal
\nconnections. We'll let the police investigate it. That's why we
\nhanded over confiscated bulbs and cables to them,\" PLN area
\nmanager for Depok Hadi Suhana told The Jakarta Post on Friday.<\/p>\n
Hadi said over 3,300 places in Depok had been identified as
\nusing illegal electricity, with the state company losing around
\nRp 100 million (US$10,000) per month.<\/p>\n
He said they would continue to conduct similar operations
\nuntil there were no more illegal connections in those areas.<\/p>\n
PLN spokesman Aryo Subijoko said that the operations in Depok
\nwere part of efforts to reduce losses of electricity that has
\noccurred over the last several years due to theft and illegal
\nlights.<\/p>\n
He said the company had identified thousands of locations in
\nGreater Jakarta that used illegal electricity connections to
\nlight up the roads in their neighborhood.<\/p>\n
\"We cooperate with police as we have no authority to arrest
\nviolators. We will hand over all equipment we have confiscated to
\npolice,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He said that PLN has lost billions of rupiah to illegal
\nconnections in Greater Jakarta alone.<\/p>\n
Due to inadequate power supply, PLN has many times conducted
\nrotating blackouts in Java and Bali.<\/p>\n
According to data from their Depok office, PLN has lost Rp 100
\nmillion every month from illegal road lights in Depok alone.<\/p>\n
Many experts, however, say that power theft from illegal
\nconnections to households and factories was far higher than that
\nfor illegal road lights.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pln-cuts-illegal-connections-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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