‘Some 20,000 cases of electricity theft in 2018’

AMMAN — The Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC) on Wednesday said it had recorded 19,962 cases of electricity theft in 2018. 

Law enforcement personnel at the EMRC recorded 10,443 cases of the theft, while employees at the three electricity distribution companies discovered 6,768 cases. 

The public security and Gendarmerie departments’ personnel found 2,751 cases, said EMRC Chief Commissioner Farouq Hiari in a statement sent to The Jordan Times. 

The cases recorded by EMRC personnel included 7,006 cases within the jurisdiction of the Jordanian Electric Power Company (JEPCO), 2,308 in areas affiliated with the Irbid District Electricity Company (IDECO) and 1,129 cases in the Electricity Distribution Company’s jurisdiction (EDCO), the chief commissioner noted.

JEPCO is responsible for providing power to the central region, which comprises the governorates of Amman, Zarqa, Madaba and Balqa, while IDECO works in the northern governorates of Irbid, Jerash, Ajloun and Mafraq. The southern governorates of Aqaba, Tafileh, Maan and Karak receive power from EDCO.

During the same period, 2,135 electricity violation cases were referred to courts, and verdicts were issued for 2,103 cases, the statement said.

Hiari stressed that the EMRC and authorities would continue to intensify and scale up inspection campaigns carried out by the commission, during official working hours and on holidays, to combat electricity theft and address attempts to tamper with the electrical system. 

The law stipulates that anyone who tampers with the electrical system, or is involved in electricity theft, faces imprisonment of  six months up to two years, a fine between JD2,000 and JD10,000, or both.

Under the law, all those who intentionally vandalise, destroy or hinder the work of power facilities, or cause them any damage, shall face a prison term of between one to three years or a fine ranging from JD2,000 to JD100,000, or both. The penalty can be increased if the violation causes danger to public safety.