Electricity theft cases high as only 1/4 of 1 lakh e-ricks registered
Power distribution companies in the national Capital are putting the annual loss at approximately Rs 150 crore due to organised theft of electricity for charging e-rickshaws.
Power experts and discom sources said the organised racket of power theft is being run due to lack of proper charging facilities in the city, especially in areas close to metro stations.
As per estimates, there are more than one lakh e-rickshaws plying on the city roads and only one-fourth of them are registered, despite a subsidy scheme provided to them by the Government.
“Considering that most of the e-rickshaws are not registered, the loss due to charging through illegal connections is around Rs 150 crore,” they said.
There are three power distribution companies — BYPL and BRPL of BSES, and Tata Power Delhi Dsitribution (TPDDL) — that supply electricity in Delhi.
“We are committed to eradicate the menace of power theft and keeping a close watch on the illegal e-charging set-ups in the area of distribution. I appeal to all e-rickshaws owners to take legitimate connections and charge their vehicles in a legitimate and safe manner,” TPDDL CEO Sanjay Banga told PTI.
On an average, an e-rickshaw consumes around 7-10 units per day. This comes to about 2,500-3,600 units per e-rickshaw per annum. Power theft is at its peak at night due to bulk charging at facilities set up by the racketeers, discom sources said.
There are scores of areas across the city where such rackets operate, although police help is sought whenever they are detected, added the sources.
Sangam Vihar, Kalkaji, Tughlakabad, Sarai Kale khan, Dakshin Puri, Raghubir Nagar, Tagore Garden, Madipur, Seelampur, Yamuna Vihar, Shastri Park, Karawal Nagar, Mustafabad, Nand Nagri, Karol Bagh, Keekarwala Keshampuram, Civil Lines are some areas where power theft for e-rickshaw charging is “rampant”, discom sources said.
“Most of these e-rickshaws are charged in batches as part of an organised illegal network controlled by local strongmen. The e-rickshaw owners pay fixed money in the range of Rs 100 to Rs 150 per day to the “parking and charging” mafia. This comes down to Rs 50 per e-rickshaw if charged through a legal connection,” they claimed.
In the latest tariff order, the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission has fixed the rate of Rs 5.50 per unit for e-rickshaw charging.
A TPDDL spokesperson said illegal charging of e-rickshaws is a “big menace” and results in approximately 40 lakh KWh of power loss every year to the company that supplies electricity to north and northwest parts of the city.
The company is employing technology to track power theft in its area of distribution and has installed AMR (Automated Meter Reading) based energy systems at distribution transformers.
It also conducts energy audit of these transformers on a regular basis, he added.
Meanwhile commenting on the issue, a BSES spokesperson said that power-theft not only causes losses, but it also poses a huge safety issue. “Such practices also burdens honest consumers,” he said.
The official said that BSES is committed to fight against power theft of all kinds. In its campaign against power-theft, BSES uses several different approaches, including using technology and analytics. “This has helped the discoms reduce ‘Aggregate Technical & Commercial’ losses to a record low of around nine per cent, he said.