industryterm:illegal electricity use

Turks usher in 2016 with hike in electricity prices
▻http://www.todayszaman.com/business_turks-usher-in-2016-with-hike-in-electricity-prices_408534.htm

Effective as of Friday, the hike will cover the costs of new infrastructural investments that will be made by power distribution companies during the year, according to the media.

“Distribution companies are responsible for [any malfunction] at grid circuits and electricity meters installed at doorsteps. … The EPDK will ensure the extra burden will be returned to consumers as [more quality] service,” reports cited energy officials as saying.

The latest hike came at a time when flaws in recently privatized national electricity network came under the spotlight. According to data from the Federation of Consumer Unions (TBF), planned power cuts made by the 21 distribution companies across Turkey totaled 72,250 hours in November alone. The number of hours in unplanned outages, however, is unknown.

The government privatized companies that supply electricity to the national grid in Turkey in September 2013 in a bid to reduce unit electricity prices as well as ensure energy security. But flaws in distribution have been common since then.

“They do not invest. There is neither maintenance nor inspection. Public institutions should immediately launch strict inspections. But power companies have been complaining all the time recently,” Hüseyin Yeşil, the president of the Chamber of Electrical Engineers (EMO), earlier told Today’s Zaman.

Electricity theft here to stay

A recent alteration that was made in energy market codes, however, will seemingly ensure the persistence of illegal electricity use across the country.

According to an amendment that entered into force on the last day of 2015, distribution companies that sustained more illegal electricity consumption than the national average in 2014 will be regarded as a “large-loss company” until 2025.

Commenting on the new regulation, EMO head Yeşil said: “This change says ‘well done’ to those companies with high illegal electricity records and creates new options for them.”

Abdullah Tivnikli, a businessman known for his close ties to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, said early this year he wants to exit his partnership with the Dicle Electricity Distribution (DEDAŞ) in order to avoid further losses due to the illegal use of electricity in the area the company operates in. “I have to leave this partnership, or we will be forced to have blackouts in the region to compensate for our losses,” Tivnikli said back then

#électricité #Turquie #Privatisation

Power grid firms accused of making unfair profit
▻http://www.todayszaman.com/business_power-grid-firms-accused-of-making-unfair-profit_371543.html

Turkish power distribution companies are making an unfair profit, as they have not reimbursed millions of customers for surcharges on their bills for illegal power usage, a local union said on Monday.

As the debate over illegal electricity use continues, consumers are in limbo and facing controversial rulings from different courts. Turkish Electrical Engineers Union (EMO) said in a written statement on Monday that power grid companies gained millions of lira in profit as they cheated customers by hiding charges for illegal power use under a separate clause of the bills. There are 29.33 million single electricity subscribers in Turkey and the EMO says power grid firms may be making more than TL 57 million from illegal power per mont

#électricité #privatisation

Minister targets PKK over illegal electricity use
▻http://www.todayszaman.com/news-352421-minister-targets-pkk-over-illegal-electricity-use.html

Energy Minister Taner Yıldız singled out the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) while addressing recent protests about electricity cuts in southeast Turkey on Tuesday.

“We know that the PKK has said it would be great if you do not pay your bills,” said Yıldız, referring to the illicit use of electricity that has been a problem in the Southeast for years.

“It must be known that the number of people who pay their electricity bills in this region is around 10 percent. [The Ministry of Energy] serves 77 million people. We need to stress to the public that there is a difference between those who pay their bills and those who do not. It is not right for those who do not pay to take from those who do,” continued Yıldız.

“Those who have not paid their bills — intentionally or unintentionally — must do so immediately," said Yıldız.

Illegal electricity usage reportedly cost every Turkish household registered with an energy company TL 140 last year. A total of TL 4.9 billion was lost through unpaid electricity because of illicit usage in 2013.

The formerly state-owned Dicle Electricity Distribution Company (DEDAŞ) was privatized last year. One of the DEDAŞ partners, pro-government businessman Abdullah Tivnikli, came under scrutiny when it was revealed that he had received loans from Kuveyt Türk — a bank where Tivnikli is the deputy board manager — to help finance the privatization venture.

An extended period of drought, which began at the end of last year, has severely reduced the volume of water in Turkey’s reservoirs and raised concerns that electricity production will decline.

#Electricité
#Piratage
#Privatisation
#PKK

Oh electricity | Sanctions financières et coupure de courant dans les quartier pauvres de Diyarbakir comme solution au piratage massif d’électricité ?!!
Petit récit d’une journaliste néerlandaise installée à Diyarbakir
▻http://www.journalistinturkey.com/blogs/oh-electricity_3666

Recently an inspection was made and I heard from my next-door neighbour that a lot of people were fined for illegal electricity use. She said it can cost up to 2000tl (some €900) and if you can’t pay, you can spend a few days in jail instead. Tampering with the electricity meter is usually done by professional electricians, who ask 300 to 400tl to do the job..

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