Ayman Hamza, a spokesperson from the ministry of electricity and renewable energy, said that electricity distribution companies have stopped processing coded electricity meters requests since June 30, adding that illegal electricity connections are subject to legal liability.
He added that the General Directorate for Electricity Police will write reports for electric thefts alongside imposing fines and jail time.
“Reconciliation in electricity connection without metres cases is not a regulation but rather a fine to obtaining electricity illegally. If cables are cut in such cases, maintenance cannot be provided and users must legalise their situation to avoid further fines,” he said.
Hamza also pointed out that the coded meters were installed for the illegally-constructed buildings, do not afford any form of legal right, or reconciliation to the status of building. Requests for these meters were allowed until June 2018.
He reported that the number of applicants for the installation of coded meters reached 2.4m requests.
The deadline for payment for inspections and measures was June 30. Until now, no other decision has been issued to resume receiving applications for coded meters.
He added that the purpose of installing the coded meter is to preserve public resources, reduce theft of current, and loss of power, which negatively impacts the efficiency of the national electricity grid in Egypt.
