SESB loses RM200 mln a year to electricity thieves, says chairman

KOTA KINABALU: Sabah Electricity Sdn Bhd (SESB) loses about RM200 million per year as a result of electricity theft, said its chairman Datuk Seri Wilfred Madius Tangau.

He said that SESB lost 17 per cent of its power supply grid, of which 10 per cent was ‘system lost’, while seven per cent was ‘non-system lost’ or theft.

From a financial perspective, one per cent of electricity loss resulted in SESB incurring losses of RM30 million per year, hence non-system lost or theft caused SESB to suffer losses of RM210 million per year, he added.

“This amount (RM210 million per year) represents 25 per cent of the total losses suffered by SESB. This amount is also adequate to help reduce SESB’s dependency on government subsidies, which is currently around RM850 million per year. “This also means that if we can combat this theft, the financial sustainability of SESB will be much better. SESB is a victim of electricity thieves, which is why SESB takes serious measures to combat theft crimes,” he said in a statement yesterday.

Madius also said he had paid a courtesy call on Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun at the Sabah Police Contingent headquarters here Tuesday, during which it was agreed that SESB and the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) would strengthen cooperation in combating electricity theft in the state.

“I am confident and believe that this meeting will further increase the existing cooperation between SESB and PDRM in the future.

“Together we fight these power theft crimes,” he said.