PLN to provide prepaid services for outdoor ads
PLN to provide prepaid services for outdoor ads
The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
The state electricity company PT PLN plans to make available
prepaid electricity services for outdoor advertising this year
due to the prevalence of electricity theft -- by tapping into
wires.
"Our colleagues in the marketing division are preparing a
prepaid service system to allow customers to buy kilowatt hour
(Kwh) meters, which can be set to shut down service automatically
when the amount of wattage stipulated by the customer is used
up," Sulastyo, the company's manager for distribution in Jakarta
and Tangerang, said on Tuesday.
Sulastyo said that PLN intended to reduce the losses created
by power theft -- or illegal connections by certain parties or
individuals.
Last week, PLN did a series of spot checks in areas where
lighted billboards were placed. They checked 273 sites in
Kebayoran, Kramat Jati and Tangerang.
"Out of 273 sites, illegal connections were found at 152 of
them," said Sulastyo, adding that in Kebayoran alone, 75 out of
the 131 sites checked had indications of power theft.
He estimated that each week, the company would typically lose
at least Rp 2.5 billion, just at the 152 sites checked in Jakarta
and Tangerang.
He said that PLN would hold the contractors -- who provided
the advertisement services -- responsible for the theft occurring
at their advertisement sites.
He said that in some cases it appeared that electricity was
being stolen from one advertisement site for use for another
advertisement. "That would mean it is not only PLN that suffers
losses, but also the contractors themselves."
Media reports last week revealed that most power theft for
outdoor advertising occurred at bus shelters such as those along
Jl. S. Parman in West Jakarta and Jl. Jend. Sudirman in South
Jakarta.
Sulastyo said that such inspections would be repeated
consistently to curb such theft at the more than 1,000 outdoor
advertisement spots in Jakarta and its vicinity.
Asked about what would happen if PLN staff were found to be
involved in the power theft, Sulastyo said that it was up to the
public to report it to the police.
"The company has a policy for such matters and if an employee
is proven guilty, the person is subject to dismissal," he
explained. (004)