The Guyana Power and Light (GPL) says it found a high incidence of meter tampering in several West Coast Demerara communities in its first foray into the area this year.
According to a press release, GPL’s Loss Reduction Fraud Squad found that the rotation of the meter discs at Cornelia Ida, Tuschen and Anna Catherina was inconsistent. The squad also discovered that both housing and terminal cover seals were broken or mangled; strange seals were in place which indicated that the meters were entered then resealed with commercially available seals and impressions left by screwdrivers and other tools on various parts of the meters.
The company said the power supply to all buildings found with altered meters were disconnected and would only be restored after the occupants paid the monetary penalties for meter tampering. These include retroactive billing for a 12-month period and the tampering and reconnection fee. The offenders will also be charged with theft of electricity.
GPL urges consumers to resist demands from persons soliciting money from them to “fix” new meters. GPL said certified electricians, ex-employees, current employees and home owners reportedly demand fees ranging from $6,000 to $15,000 to install bypass devices on meters, the service line or in the main switches.
These actions all constitute meter tampering, the company said.
GPL’s technicians have pointed out that the new-model meters work with different mechanics that require the discs to rotate faster in order to record one unit of current. They have given the assurance that the speed of the discs does not indicate that the instrument has malfunctioned or that it would record consumption at a higher rate that would result in higher bills.
The company said by law the occupants of premises on which any electricity restricting device is found would be held liable for electricity theft.
