Energy theft on the rise
IID asks customers to report suspicious incidents
IMPERIAL — Imperial Irrigation District is calling on its customers to help prevent energy theft, which has been on the rise, officials say.
“It’s been more common,” Robert Schettler, IID public information officer, told Imperial Valley Press. “Last year we responded to over 200 calls related to meter tampering and energy theft, and we are on track to meet or exceed those numbers this year.”
The incidents vary and are not specific to any area, Schettler said.
Some customers apparently have tried to tamper with their meters to hide how much electricity they actually use.
“We have found attempts to bypass the meter so the meter does not record the full energy use, or an attempted manipulation of the meter so it does not record properly,” Schettler said. “When meter tampering or a bypass is discovered, the location is immediately de-energized.”
An electrician is dispatched to fix the issue, Schettler continued.
“The customer must pay for all labor, IID property damage and a security deposit prior to re-connect,” he said. “Inspections can be required.”
In addition to repayment for the actual energy used, those who tamper with meters can also face criminal charges, Schettler said.
See something, say something
To prevent such incidents, IID asks customers to report suspicious activity, which can include the tampering of electrical meters, power lines and electrical equipment.
“Energy theft is not only illegal and costs all IID customers, but it is also very dangerous,” said IID investigator Mike Beltran, who added that instances of energy theft tend to pick up as temperatures increase.
When electric meters, lines and equipment are manipulated in an effort to steal energy, the results can be severe — leading to power outages, electrical and fire hazards and extensive damage to IID and to customer equipment.
Energy theft is estimated to cost IID tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars in the loss of energy alone. That estimate does not include investigation, infrastructure replacement, inspection, repair or the judicial process.
As a public power provider, acts against the district, such as the theft of electricity, impact customer rates, IID officials said.
To report suspicious activity, call (760) 4823688. All information provided will be kept in strict confidence, IID said.
District customers in need of legitimate work done on their electrical equipment should call IID customer service at (800) 303-7756. The district will send a representative to provide proper clearance for each project.
For more information, visit www.iid.com/energytheft.