Meralco steps up drive vs. illegal power connections

Manila Electric Co. (Meralco) is stepping up its campaign against electricity pilferage, citing the risks illegal connections and meter tampering pose to public safety and the reliability of the power distribution network.

Beyond regular inspections and coordination with law enforcement, the utility is also turning to smart metering and infrastructure upgrades to reduce non-technical system losses linked to illegal service connections and meter tampering.

In a radio interview Tuesday, Meralco Vice President and Head of Corporate Communications Joe Zaldarriaga underscored the importance of the Department of Energy’s (DOE) newly launched “Brigada Kontra Jumper” initiative, which encourages the public to report suspected illegal connections, jumpers and tampered electricity meters through the eGovPH platform.

Zaldarriaga warned that illegal connections can overload distribution facilities and potentially cause transformers to fail, disrupting electricity service not only for those involved but also for entire communities.

“The battle against illegal connections, against jumpers and tampering is not just Meralco alone, it’s a societal issue,” he said.

He said Meralco continues to coordinate with the Philippine National Police (PNP) in addressing violations of Republic Act No. 7832, or the Anti-Electricity and Electric Transmission Lines/Materials Pilferage Act.

Meralco is also looking to gradually roll out smart metering technologies that can make meters more difficult to tamper with and enable irregular consumption patterns to be detected more quickly.

Unlike conventional meters that rely heavily on manual reading and physical inspection when tampering is suspected, smart meters can automatically capture consumption data and help identify unusual activity, while reducing errors associated with manual meter reading.

Zaldarriaga said Meralco is likewise investing heavily in modernizing its distribution infrastructure, including substations and distribution lines, to improve the efficiency and reliability of the network.

“At Meralco, we have made significant investments in our capital expenditures to improve the distribution system, and these investments are paying off,” he said, noting that the utility has brought technical system losses down.

He said continued investments in new substations and strengthened distribution lines are helping improve the overall efficiency and reliability of the network.

The utility’s efforts to modernize its system and curb electricity pilferage are ultimately aimed at ensuring more reliable service, including during challenging conditions, Zaldarriaga said.

He noted, however, that the rollout of smart metering technology and infrastructure upgrades remain subject to regulatory approval.

“It is important to balance the utility’s ability to modernize its system with the impact of these investments on consumers,” Zaldarriaga said.

He added that Meralco needs adequate resources to implement modernization initiatives while maintaining its responsibility to provide customers with quality and reliable electricity.

“At the end of the day, our responsibility is to provide quality and reliable service to our customers and ensure that we deliver the level of service expected of us, including reliable electricity 24/7,” he said.