Electricity theft makes up a hefty 25 per cent of the estimated 22 per cent total line losses. At today’s tariff rates, this translates into a staggering Rs50–75 billion. Unfortunately, the cases of electricity thefts are increasing, affecting the very viability of the power sector. Stemming this loss can result in curbing the growth in electricity rates by at least 10–15 per cent. Another 0.7 million customers have since been detected for thefts during July to November 2010 in addition to the 1.50 million found during 2009-10. Still greater efforts are required to completely stop theft. How do we do it? A ten points agenda is suggested to be put in place. The first step is to divide and map the DISCOs (and of course, the KESC) into fully complaint, semi-complaint and non-complaint zones through a colour coding system viz green for the first category, orange for the second and red for the renegades. The second of the steps would be to quantify the exact areas where theft goes on unchecked – actual detailed mapping would take place on the DISCO and its subordinate offices level viz. at the circle, the division and the sub-division. Full Story