SIBU: Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) has managed to reduce its losses from power theft by 50 per cent last year from RM160 million incurred in 2010.
SEB spokesman said this reflected success in its fight against illegal electricity connection statewide.
“In early 2011, the state government tasked SEB to reduce the incidents and losses incurred through power theft and meter tampering.
“Over the span of 12 months, SEB’s efforts have seen a reduction in power theft to RM80 million,” he said in a statement here yesterday.
He added from the total of RM80 million, half of the losses were contributed by Sibu.
From an estimated 100,000 Sesco metres here, he said between 20 and 30 per cent were found to be tampered with by commercial retail outlets including factories and entertainment centres.
Another 20 per cent were found to be in residential areas, he said.
Yesterday, he said Sesco enforcement teams were dispatched to Ulu Sungai Merah, a wellknown residential area here with high percentage of meter tampering cases.
“The team detected one house’s meter cutout tampered, an illegal direct cable connected from the Sesco cutout directly to customer’s electrical distribution board via a 15Amp socket without passing through Sesco meter.
“The house has several air conditioning units installed and the electricity consumption bill was less than RM20 per month, which is unacceptably low.
“The tampered Sesco cutout and electricity meter were seized by Sesco Enforcement team as evidence for prosecution,” he said.