Fines for Electricity Theft in Russia 2021

Electricity theft is the illegal consumption of energy resources during unauthorized connection to the network by a consumer or to establish the lowest kilowatt accrual on a consumption meter.
What type of punishment will be assigned to the violator depends on the size of the damage and the degree of danger. Multi-channel free hotline Legal advice on criminal law. Every day from 9.00 to 21.00

Moscow and region: +7 (495) 662-44-36

St. Petersburg: +7 (812) 449-43-40

What is the liability for theft of electricity and methods of theft?

The punishment for stealing electricity is:

Code of Administrative Offences.
Criminal Code.
Civil Code.

The law on electricity theft is not harsh. The damage from the illegal use of electricity in Russia exceeds several billion rubles. As a sanction for the theft of electricity, liability is provided for under Article 165 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (causing material damage to the state). The highest penalty for this type of crime is a prison term of up to five years, accompanied by a fine of up to 80 thousand.

To keep track of consumed energy resources, a common house electricity meter is installed at the entrance to the house. From it there is a main riser from the bottom up the entrance, from which branch wires go to each apartment.

To prevent the meter from showing how much energy resources are being consumed, the thief uses some methods to steal electricity:

Connecting a wire to bypass the electric meter (a special device is installed, called a bug).
Connect temporarily to the meter in order to be able to rewind the consumed kilowatts.
Using a magnet will slow down or stop the electric meter.
To remove the meter from the usage scheme, the thief disconnects the neutral wire and connects it to a contactless wire.
Using specialized devices at home that can absorb electrical impulses;
Purchasing special meters that are programmed to steal electricity, Article 165 of the Criminal Code.

There are no free electrical resources, everyone knows that. Therefore, consumers pay for consumed electricity in full. Tariffs are set by local authorities. To account for all energy consumed, meters are installed in each room or apartment.

Theft of state electricity is the illegal connection or waste of light energy. If a person does not pay for services on time, then he is responsible for non-payment; this has nothing to do with fraud.

Why do we need meter installation standards?

If electricity theft is established, severe punishment is applied to the offender. Penalties are specified in the legislative acts of the Russian Federation. Theft is possible by independently connecting to power lines. For such an atrocity in 2021, a prison sentence of 6 years may be imposed.

What is electricity theft?

Readings are taken from metering devices monthly. If the meter is hidden in the vestibule and the apartment owner prevents access to the equipment, over time this can be interpreted as theft of electricity.
Citizens who steal electricity are often not as simple as they seem, and they have the necessary knowledge so that an ordinary inspector does not notice the theft. Therefore, a control raid is carried out annually for private houses. Each private house is inspected by a qualified commission.
Unscheduled checks of used electrical energy are carried out if there is a debt for utilities. Also, further theft of electricity is prevented by complaints that the natural resource supplier receives from third parties.

There are a number of circumstances that determine the type of liability for the guilty person. Criminal punishment also occurs, but it is applied only in exceptional situations, or rather, in the presence of two factors:

Bypassing the meter, special wires are connected and an additional device (bug) is installed.
Periodically, a switch is made to a temporary counter in order to be able to rewind the consumed kilowatts.
Magnet. Such a device will easily slow down the metering device and even stop it.
Using a neutral cable and connecting to contactless wiring.
The use of a device that absorbs electrical impulses.
Purchasing meters that are initially set up for theft.

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Is there any criminal liability for electricity theft?

Utilities are expensive today, including electricity. Therefore, residents resort to various methods of saving, which are not always legal. Last year my neighbor on the site did something similar. It turned out that he broke the seal and simply unscrewed the meter back.

Since June 9, fines for unauthorized connection to electrical and heating networks and for using resources past the meter have doubled. If the violation is found again, the individual will have to pay 30 thousand rubles, the company - up to 300 thousand rubles.

Liability for theft of electricity

Criminal liability for theft of electricity is provided for as follows:

if energy consumption is associated with selfish fraud or malicious intent;
the amount of damage is 250 thousand rubles or more.

Both the resource supplier and the energy distribution company have the right to contact human rights authorities. To bring violators to justice, it is necessary to confirm the reality of the fraud and how many resources were stolen during individual consumption.

To identify fraudsters, suppliers will verify meters in private and residential buildings. If it is discovered that the operation of the meter has been tampered with, then an act of illegal consumption of electricity is drawn up. A citizen can challenge the act in court and pay off the debt.

When an act of illegal use is drawn up, the meter is declared invalid; the standard in this case is calculated from the moment the correct readings are recorded. An increased rate is considered normal and will differ from natural consumption. When damage is discovered, the amount is stated in the application, which is sent to human rights authorities. When the amount of damage caused exceeds 250 thousand rubles, a criminal case is initiated based on Article 165 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation.

Responsibility: what will happen?

the last meter readings at the time of drawing up the act and upon payment, which will become evidence of theft in court when connecting electricity after its official shutdown;
technical measures carried out before the inspection - moving the device to another place (there is a confirming statement in the Distribution Zone), changing the seal by electricians, etc., which excludes accusations of unauthorized damage to the device;
information about the repayment of a previously established debt or its non-payment - checks, receipts, transfers, etc.

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Note!

Cases of unauthorized consumption of electricity by private owners and officials are becoming increasingly common. This is due to the large flow of information in the media, as well as the open sale of various technical means that make it possible to stop meters and illegally use the provided resources.

Starshinov said that the need for amendments is related to the increasing incidence of electricity theft, which not only leads to significant losses for supplying companies, but also affects security issues at power grid facilities. “And this, in turn, directly affects the life and safety of our citizens,” the deputy emphasized.

What is the penalty for illegal waste of electrical resources?

If it turns out that the consumer has begun to steal energy resources, the violator is held accountable depending on the damage caused. According to the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, Article 7.19 for unauthorized connection to electrical networks is punishable by a fine of up to 15,000 rubles for individuals, up to 80 thousand rubles for officials, and up to 200,000 rubles for legal entities.

If the damage caused by unauthorized use of electricity exceeds the amount of 250 thousand rubles, then in addition to administrative liability, he faces criminal liability.

The articles provide:

fine;
prison term;
forced labor;
administrative arrest for up to 30 days.

Usually the court makes a decision to recover compensation if the crime was committed by a private person. The use of severe punishment in the form of imprisonment is applied on a fairly large scale and is qualified according to the following criteria: a crime is committed by a group of persons by prior conspiracy or by an organized group.

If a violation is established, the culprit faces paying a fine of up to 300 thousand rubles, either in the amount of wages or other income.

Criminal and administrative sanctions do not exclude the emergence of civil liability. It consists of the obligation to compensate for the damage suffered by the network company. You will have to pay for the energy used. Compensation for moral damage if the consumer commits the violations discussed above is not taken into account.

If a criminal has the desire to take risks, he wants to save stolen kilowatts, then he will face retribution for the violation. First of all, he faces investigation and procedure in court, as well as not only payment of the principal debt, but also payment for the services of a legal adviser in this case.

They may turn off the lights until the court ruling is announced and the fine for the theft of energy resources is paid. If theft is proven, the fine is determined by the court based on the maximum potential use that is available in the production of electrical appliances during the period of detection of differences in the readings of the joint meter on the power line and the joint readings of customers' electricity meters.

Is your neighbor stealing electricity? Let him read this article

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It is impossible to imagine our existence without electricity: lighting, laptops, tablets, TVs, kitchen appliances - all these electrical appliances are firmly established in every home. Like everything in our lives, you have to pay for comfort and convenience.

However, some want to save money and decide to connect electrical energy without accounting. All methods of electricity theft are quickly and easily identified by specialists using search patterns and special devices. However, citizens, relying on the eternal “maybe”, do not take into account the degree of responsibility provided for theft. In this case, it is worth recalling that often the amount of calculated damage exceeds the cost of stolen electricity many times over.

Over the 8 months of this year, the staff of the Borisov Electric Networks branch conducted 485 raids to identify facts of theft of electrical energy; 546 acts were drawn up for 721,300.63 rubles, of which 375 acts were drawn up for household subscribers for 105,462.96 rubles.

For what and how the amount of damage is calculated, we learned from the specialists of the department for operation and maintenance of accounting means of the Borisov Electric Networks branch.

— What electricity consumption is considered unmetered?

— This is the consumption of electrical energy in violation of the requirements established by the electricity supply contract and (or) legislation for the organization of settlement accounting of electrical energy on the part of the subscriber, which led to distortion of data on the actual volume of electrical energy consumption. In this case, interference in the operation of the electrical energy metering device is considered to be:

damage to the electrical energy metering device, the electrical energy metering wiring,

failure (damage) of the seal(s) on the electrical energy metering device, switching device or terminal block installed in the electrical energy metering circuit,

the use of devices and devices that distort the readings of the electrical energy metering device.

— What kind of power consumption can be classified as unauthorized?

- Unauthorized, i.e. non-contractual consumption of electrical energy is when the consumer violates the procedure established by law for connecting power supply facilities and electrical installations of citizens to electrical networks. This includes connecting an electrical receiver, other electrical equipment, device or device to the electrical network before using a means of calculating electrical energy metering. Or the installation of electrical wiring that is not provided for by the approved design documentation, as well as in a number of other cases when the consumer acted (or, on the contrary, did not act), and this led to unauthorized (non-contractual) consumption of electrical energy.

— How are payments for electricity carried out in case of unmetered or unauthorized consumption?

— In accordance with the Electricity Supply Rules, in case of unaccounted, unauthorized consumption of electrical energy, the energy supply organization draws up an act in the presence of a citizen (subscriber) or an adult member of his family. If a person refuses to sign for receipt of the act, a corresponding note is made in the document. The act is drawn up in two copies, one of which is handed over signature (or sent by registered mail) to the citizen (subscriber) to pay the amount of damage, and the second is stored in the energy supply organization.

Next, the energy supplying organization recalculates for previous billing periods. The beginning of its countdown is considered to be the date of the last reliable reading and registration of the calculation meter readings by a representative of the energy supplying organization or the day of its previous inspection (unless another shorter period is documented). And the end of the period is the date of drawing up the act. In this case, the specialist acts in accordance with the procedure determined by the Ministry of Energy, and the calculation is carried out according to the tariffs in force at the time of drawing up the act. This procedure ensures full reimbursement by the citizen (subscriber) of economically justified costs for the provision of electricity services.

— What if a malfunction is detected in the operation of the electrical energy metering device, which was not the fault of the subscriber? How is electricity billed in such cases?

— In accordance with paragraph 215 of the Electricity Supply Rules, in the event of a violation in the operation of the settlement meter through no fault of the subscriber (citizen), the energy supply organization draws up a corresponding act in the presence of the subscriber (citizen). Next, the energy supplying organization makes a recalculation for previous billing periods (starting from the date of the last reliable reading and registration by a representative of the energy supplying organization of the calculation meter readings or from the date of the previous inspection of the calculation metering device, unless another shorter period is documented, until the date of drawing up the report) in the manner determined by the Ministry of Energy, according to the subsidized tariffs in force at the time of drawing up the act for the population, unless otherwise provided by law. From the date of drawing up the act until the elimination of the violation in the operation of the settlement metering device through no fault of the subscriber (citizen), the payment for consumed electrical energy for the subscriber (citizen) is calculated based on the average daily consumption of electrical energy for the billing period after the elimination of the violation in the operation of the settlement metering device not due to the fault of the subscriber (citizen) at tariffs established in accordance with the law (at subsidized tariffs for the population, unless otherwise provided by law).

— What liability is provided for unmetered, unauthorized electricity consumption??

— I would like to immediately note that the principle of “inevitability of punishment” is implemented by the Borisov Electric Networks branch 100%. This is facilitated by systematic work to detect facts of theft of electrical energy based on the compilation of feeder balances of electrical energy. In each area of electrical networks, specialized teams have been created to identify facts of theft of electrical energy, which have transport, communications, the necessary instruments and devices, as well as photo and video cameras to record facts of energy theft.

After a preliminary warning to the subscriber (written, by telephone message or in another way provided for by the electricity supply contract), the energy supplying organization has the right to stop supplying electrical energy to its electrical installations in whole or in part to electrical equipment in the following cases: supplying electricity without organizing settlement metering, or unauthorized (non-contractual) or unmetered consumption electrical energy.

Also, the energy supplying organization has the right, in the manner specified in part one of paragraph 227 of the Electricity Supply Rules, to oblige the subscriber to remove the input device with the means of calculation of electricity metering beyond (to) the border of the land plot owned (lifelong inheritable possession, use, lease) by a citizen, (and this is about 1000 rubles!) or install a split meter in the following cases:

failure to provide access to the electrical network, electrical installations and settlement metering means within two billing periods (months) upon presentation of an official ID of an authorized representative of the energy supply organization to monitor compliance with the requirements of these Rules, the terms of the electricity supply contract, taking readings from the settlement metering means, as well as for suspension provision of electricity services in case of non-payment;
unmetered consumption of electrical energy;
unauthorized (non-contractual) consumption of electrical energy;
unauthorized replacement of a means of accounting;
transfer in accordance with the established procedure of a one-apartment residential building (residential premises in such a house, residential premises in a blocked residential building) into non-residential (non-residential).

If the subscriber fails to comply with the requirements of the energy supply organization within the time period established in the order to remove the input device with the means of settlement accounting or install a split meter, the energy supply organization draws up an act on the basis of which the provision of electricity supply services to the citizen is suspended.

It is important to know that liability for unauthorized connection of electrical energy receivers, or unaccounted consumption of such energy, or damage to calculated flow metering devices or violation of their connection diagrams, as well as other violations of power supply rules in the form of a fine of 5 times the amount of damage caused, is provided for in Art. 20.10 of the Code of the Republic of Belarus on Administrative Offences.

All accrued amounts for damage caused to the energy supply organization when a household consumer evades voluntary payment will be recovered through the court.

From the above, the conclusion suggests itself about the pointlessness of unaccounted for, unauthorized consumption of electrical energy, when comparing the benefits and the amount of damage, that is, in other words, to steal - to get into trouble! To prevent such cases, we remind you of the need for citizens to strictly comply with the current legislation in the field of electricity supply and their obligations under electricity supply contracts!

— Where can you go if you suspect electricity theft?

— Any suggestions, comments or suspicions of electricity theft can be voiced by concerned citizens by calling the Borisov Electric Networks Trust 73-67-33.

Information service "A"

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Devices that can illegally save on energy

There are many methods of fraud described on the Internet with descriptions of various devices and connection diagrams.
Devices have appeared on sale that allow you to legally save on energy consumption. Sometimes these devices do not work at all and cost a lot of money. Underground technicians are telling customers that their appliances are designed to steal electricity. The circuit provides for current selection, which is reproduced by powerful thyristors and monitors the oscillations of the network sinusoid. The capacitors are charged with current. Then it is sent back to the network and is generated by a sinusoidal voltage generator, which powers the turned on electrical appliances. This method will help slow down the action of the electric meter.

This seemingly inconspicuous method of fraud has a drawback - radio interference, which emits pulses for a short time. This interference can be very noticeable, so that for electricians, with special devices, distortions will be noticed within the boundaries of the transformer substation network.

In what cases is the electricity cut off?

The resource supply agreement was terminated by agreement of the parties.
The client violated the contract.
A debt has arisen for non-payment of electricity.
Unauthorized connection to the network.
Consumption is carried out without accounting.
Late payment.

Partial shutdown is assumed if industrial means are installed that limit energy consumption. In this case, the supplier is obliged to notify the client at least 15 calendar days before setting the restriction.

When the buyer has accumulated a debt for 3 billing periods, the supplier is obliged to notify the buyer 15 days in advance. The invoice must be paid on time.

Theft of energy resources by neighbors

Particular attention was paid to the situation when they suspected their own neighbors of fraud. What to do and how to get people to answer for their actions - this is the question that is most often asked to specialists when discussing this unpleasant topic. To counter such theft, there are special layouts, with unusual features and subtleties.

Before contacting suppliers, professionals recommend first attempting to talk to neighbors to verify events. It’s another matter when a citizen decides to call an electrician who examines the switching point and notices a precedent for fraud.

The following actions will need to be taken:

write an appeal to the management company with your wishes;
after the arrival of a representative of the energy company, together with him sign a report on the presence of theft, and also record the confirmation of eyewitnesses. It is necessary to ask all involved persons to sign the drawn up act;
Once these manipulations are completed, you can go to court and the prosecutor’s office to restore violated rights and freedoms.