Probe on Alleged Sale of Power in Squatter Settlements Underway: EFL

Energy Fiji Limited is investigating reports of some people living in informal or squatter settlements in Suva selling electricity to other residents.

In one of the cases, a house owner allegedly supplies electricity to at least three or four houses at a certain cost.

Cases of people allegedly selling electricity to other residents are said to be common at Nanuku and Wailea Settlements in Vatuwaqa, Jittu Estate in Raiwaqa and the Muslim League Estate in Nabua.

While people maybe supplying electricity to families that do not have a metre on humanitarian grounds and also to make money, it is a great safety concern.

A resident of Jittu Estate said one house supplying and selling electricity to other houses was a common thing in the area. “There are some houses in the settlement that don’t have an electricity metre, but they need power for a whole lot of things,” he said. “On the other hand, there are some house owners who are ready to supply electricity to those houses without any supply.

“This is done by running extension cords from the supplier’s house to the houses that are buying electricity from him and paying whatever charge is levied by the supplier.

“But the real worry is: What will happen if there is an overloading of power and a fire breaks out? If it happens then a lot of lives will be in danger.”

The only known electricity provider/supplier to individual houses and other entities in the country is Energy Fiji Limited.

Energy Fiji Limited’s chief executive officer Hasmukh Patel said yesterday that the matter was reported to him and EFL was still investigating.