PLN wins power theft case against big companies

PLN wins power theft case against big companies

Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta

State power firm PLN has won its legal battle over energy theft
by five companies, which must pay charges totaling Rp 2.2
billion, depending on the amount of power stolen.

"The courts have handed down verdicts to the companies that
were proven guilty of meter tampering," said the general manager
of PLN Jakarta and Tangerang, Fahmi Moctar.

Those companies are PT Ramayana Lestari Sentosa and its
partner NV Titudjuh (one violation), PT Prima Indah Lestari (two
violations), PT Kuradona Gaugetama and PT Sumbereva Indonusa.

"We filed suits in order to deter violators so that they use
power in accordance with prevailing regulations," Fahmi said.

The heaviest sanction was imposed on PT Sumbereva Indonusa
in Tangerang, which was found guilty of breaking a meter seal.
Tangerang District Court told the company to pay Rp 1.12 billion
to PLN.

The same court demanded autopart maker PT Kuradona Gaugetama
pay Rp 389.28 million over a similar violation.

The Central Jakarta District Court ruled retail company
Ramayana and NV Titudjuh, which slowed down the meter's disc --
which usually rotates at a speed proportional to the power used
-- to pay Rp 382 million to PLN, while West Jakarta District
Court told cablemaker PT Prima Indah Lestari, which crushed
powerhouses and cut the wires, to pay Rp 262.98 million for the
first violation and another Rp 48 million for the second
violation.

Fahmi said a joint team comprising PLN and police officers
from National Police Headquarters had been inspecting meters for
signs of tampering on a more regular basis as part of efforts to
enforce Presidential Decree No. 10/2005 on energy saving.

Head of the team Harry Ronald Wattilette said that, as of
November, the team had inspected the meters of 51,605 customers,
including businesses and households.

"We've discovered at least 13,077, or 25 percent of the
supervised customers have committed violations, ranging from
breaking the seals to altering the characteristics of the meter,"
Ronald said.

Factories and big companies, which use power of 200 kilo volt
ampere (KVA) and above are among the violators, he said.

He added that, on average, the power bill of
low-income households was about Rp 30,000 per month, while
big customers could be charged as much as Rp 1.2 billion per
month.

PLN Jakarta said earlier it would intensify its crackdown on
illegal connections in order to contain soaring energy theft
following the fuel prices increase and the
decision to raise power rates.

It said power theft was on the rise as the cost of running
electrical generators had increased.

PLN also promised cash rewards for people who informed it of
illegal connections, which would amount to 3 percent of the total
charges paid by the violators.