Gov’t determined to end electricity theft — Ensour

AMMAN — Prime Minister Abdullah Ensour said Thursday that electricity thefts and violations must be addressed to reduce the losses incurred and ensure respect for the law, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported.

He made the remarks at the meeting he chaired, bringing together concerned Cabinet members and senior officials and stakeholders. 

The premier highlighted the importance of enhancing the ongoing arrangement of placing law enforcement units to escort inspection teams from the country's electricity distribution companies, whose job is to detect and report any violations against the grid.

Electricity theft, mostly reported in areas outside the capital and small towns, costs Jordan around JD60 million annually, a senior official at a regulatory body told The Jordan Times earlier this month.

About 2-3 per cent of power lost from the electricity system is classified as non-technical loss, which is mainly theft, Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC) Chief Commissioner Farouq Hiari, who attended the meeting Thursday, recently told The Jordan Times. 

He added that EMRC dealt with 3,547 cases of electricity theft over a one-year period and that there were court rulings in 10 of the cases.

In regard to power outages, the premier said the winter of 2014 was a good experience compared to previous years, noting that necessary measures for the coming winter must be taken to have an even better experience this year.

The meeting was also attended by Minister of State for Media Affairs and Communications Mohammad Momani, Interior Minister Salameh Hammad, Public Security Department Director Maj. Gen. Atef Saudi, Gendarmerie Department Director General Brig. Gen. Hussein Hawatmeh and a number of electricity companies' top executives, Petra reported.