Meralco cites police pact amid electricity theft

Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) highlighted its partnership with the Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday, pledging to sustain efforts to curb illegal connections and reduce system losses.

Speaking at a House Committee on Energy Technical Working Group meeting, Meralco senior vice president and head of Networks Froilan J. Savet expressed appreciation for police enforcement under Republic Act No. 7832, or the Anti-Electricity and Electric Transmission Lines/Materials Pilferage Act.

“We are thankful to the Philippine National Police for their help, and we renewed our memorandum of understanding with them last 8 June,” Savet said. “Last month, we also met with PNP officials to discuss ways to strengthen the campaign against pilferage.”

Savet said Meralco has submitted investment requirements to the Energy Regulatory Commission for programs aimed at reducing non-technical losses, which stem primarily from illegal connections and electricity theft.

Company officials stressed that preventing pilferage requires joint action among distribution utilities, law enforcement, local communities, and government bodies.

“Electricity pilferage is a crime against the state and cannot be eradicated by distribution utilities and electric cooperatives acting alone, no matter how substantial the resources allocated,” Meralco senior vice president and head of Regulatory Management Jose Ronald V. Valles said.

In addition to law enforcement coordination, Meralco partners with the scrap industry to prevent stolen electrical materials from being resold.

The power distributor also conducts facility inspections and invests in technology to improve operational efficiency and detect unauthorized electrical usage.