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Energy theft | No criminal steps against consumers who report irregularity voluntarily
Following the discovery of an electricity meter-tampering ring, Enemalta asks customers to come forward if they know or suspect that their meter has been affected.
17 February 2014, 12:00am
Staff Reporter
Staff Reporter
1 min read
Enemalta has called on customers who are aware of irregularities in their electricity consumption or in their electricity meters to contact Enemalta and regularise their position voluntarily.
"As announced by the Government yesterday, Enemalta is asking customers who are aware of, or suspect, any irregularities in their meters or in their electricity consumption readings, to come forward," the state energy corporation said in a statement.
"Individuals who take this option and pay their dues as specified in the relevant regulations will avoid criminal proceedings."
According to Article 88 of the Electricity Supply Regulations, consumers found to have tampered with the meters, theft of electricity and unregistered consumption have to pay for the unbilled supply, plus interest and a penalty equivalent to 10% of the supply obtained illegally.
This procedure was introduced in 2006.
The Corporation has set up a section to receive and process these requests. Customers who would like to take this option can contact this section on 8007 2245 or by sending an email to [email protected].
Last Friday, a former Enemalta employee was jailed for two years and another two remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to tampering with over 1,000 electricity meters on both private and commercial properties.
According to the Ministry for Energy, the theft has been going on since 2011 "exploding" in 2012.
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Ghara, Malta veru post tal-Mickey Mouse. Commit a crime and you shall be forgiven. Both Administrations are turning out to be a bunch of crapola and as I always say. "We are Maltese and we do as we please". How much more corruption cases can this little island take? End of story.
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who ever was involved in a bribe and theft of electricity should pay for what he or she have done , no pardons to anybody, they knew what they were doing and they did not give a f--k that all of us are going to pay for all their doing. Stop to all these pardons for anybody who is in the wrong, what about those who always paid their bills , so stop this xit and pay what you stole.
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My suggestion is this. In all cases where ENEmalta knows forc ertain that the Meters have been tampered with it will send a letter to all those concerned informing them that unless they are not ready to accept the offer of paying the money due plus fine, action will be taken whereby the electricity connection to their premises will be cut, and apply for the freezing of their assets and open up a case in courts for the payments due. In the meantime the electricity will remain disconneted until the case is settled.
Igor P. Shuvalov •
Perhaps one should re-read the story carefully when commenting.
Electricity supply regulations state clearly that people who tamper with meters are to pay the bill plus 10% of the bill.
So: 1. So those who 'stole' electricity actually are not going to pay 10% of the bill but 110%.. meaning that after all they are going to fork out more money than if they had paid the bill regularly. No to mention the money one may have paid to those who tampered with the meter.
2. Yes the Government is quite in order as it is acting in accordance with Article 88 of the Electricity Supply Regulations.
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*cough* - excuse me; but since when is it up to the government or Enemalta to decide whether the Police are to prosecute or not? Ma nafx - forsi kienet cara fil-manifest elettorali tal-PL (taht is-sezzjoni dwar il-passaporti) li s-"Separation of Powers" ser titnehha...
..and since when does paying a bribe not also amount to bribery? Consumers who are aware of irregularities would have themselves paid a bribe for that irregularity to be created. I rather doubt that hooded Enemalta inspectors flitted through village streets, charitably tampering with meters?
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If that is the case then it's a risk worth taking.
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Steal and pay 10% of what you stole if you get caught. Definitely worth a try.
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Dawk li kienu jfottu qabel bl-arloggi l-antiki ittellghu il-porti, ghax jigu imharkin mill-pulizija u dawk li inqabbdu iffottu fil-meter il-gdid 'won't face criminal act'. Tajba limija d-dar. Kemm ahna sbieh min jaf jarana.
