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In what cases can electricity be cut off?

Power outages in Russia are not uncommon. The planned work is due to the network being out of power for some time. However, in accordance with the current legislation of the Russian Federation, power can be turned off for a certain time.

Based on Government Decree No. 422 of May 4, 2012, the rules for complete and (or) partial energy restrictions were approved.

Please note! According to them, the network can be de-energized in several cases:

by agreement with the energy consumer for any type of work;
due to violation of the rules for the use of resources (non-payment for services provided, danger of arson, illegal connection to the network);
due to faulty receiving equipment of the user, by order of the head of the Russian technical supervision;
unplanned network repairs due to breakdowns or accidents;
planned repair work, resulting in a power outage for a certain period of time.

Important! If the user is disconnected from the electricity supply for non-payment of services provided, the debt must be repaid, after which service will be restored.

No one is immune from accidents and sudden breakdowns. The legislation does not define a clear time frame within which access to electricity must be restored. However, if, due to lack of light, a large number of products intended for sale are spoiled or factory equipment is broken, the company has the right to demand compensation for losses.

The situation is different with a planned shutdown. The consumer and service provider sign an agreement, which stipulates the time for repair work. According to the current legislation of the Russian Federation, access to electricity can be interrupted for 72 hours a year.

However, people should not be left without electricity continuously for more than 24 hours. This rule does not apply to work in connection with emergencies and natural disasters.

Attention! Our qualified lawyers will assist you free of charge and around the clock on any issues. Find out more here.

Power outage standards

The norms for turning off electricity for the population are regulated by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 442 “On the functioning of retail markets for electrical energy, complete and (or) partial limitation of the mode of consumption of electrical energy” dated 05/04/2012. According to the resolution, restrictions are introduced:

by mutual agreement of the parties (consumer and supplier);
if the consumer violated the terms of the contract (unauthorized connection to the power grid, detection of theft, failure to fulfill financial obligations);
by order of Rostechnadzor, if faults in electrical communications have been identified;
in connection with a breakdown or emergency;
in connection with repair work.

The rules for turning off lights during scheduled repairs are prescribed in the agreement between the consumer and the electricity supplier.

According to clause 31 of the “Rules of non-discriminatory access to electricity transmission services and the provision of these services”, the maximum time that most consumers can be without electricity is 24 hours.

Suppliers must provide notice of power outages due to scheduled maintenance work. An announcement about this is sent to the consumer no later than 10 days before the power is turned off. It must state the basis for the shutdown and the period for which the restrictions are imposed.

Today there are certain standards that regulate the specifics of power outages and determine time intervals. In particular, this is the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 442 “On the functioning of retail markets for electrical energy, complete and (or) partial restrictions on the consumption of electrical energy.”

In connection with this resolution, restrictions are introduced:

if the consumer has violated the terms specified in the agreement, these may be financial obligations, unauthorized connection to the network;
by mutual decision;
due to renovation work;
by decision of Rospotrebnadzor;
due to breakdown or emergency.

Suppliers must provide notice when the lights are turned on and when they are turned off. This applies to situations where the work is planned.

Announcements of such outages due to repair work must be distributed no later than 10 days before the power is turned off. They should contain information about the shutdown, the timing of when the power will be turned on, and the basis for the shutdown.

And they have no right to turn off electricity for this reason.

Suspension of power supply to one consumer should not affect the interests and rights of his neighbors, or violate the requirements for the operation of housing (Is it legal to turn off electricity in winter, for example, if the heating of the room in winter is carried out by electrical appliances according to the technical passport. No, it cannot be turned off).
Unfortunately, power outages, especially in winter, are a common measure of influence of SNT boards on gardeners. It is used to force garden house owners to comply with the requirements of the governing bodies of the partnership and to speed up the collection of membership fees. Is it legal to cut off electricity in SNT in winter and summer? Such actions of the SNT chairmen in accordance with the provisions of Art.

21, 22, 23 Federal Law No. 66 are illegal, they can be considered as a crime under Art.

It is important to remember that during a power outage, the supplier company is obliged to comply with certain rules and regulations. These standards are given in the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 442 “On the functioning of retail markets for electrical energy, complete and (or) partial restrictions on the consumption of electrical energy.”

According to this decree, companies are required to notify consumers in advance about power outages. In particular, this applies to notifications related to repair and maintenance work. In such cases, the supplier is obliged to notify consumers no later than 10 days before disconnection.

In case of non-payment, the supplier is obliged to warn the user one month before turning off the electricity. Such a notice must be delivered against signature. If the consumer has not repaid the debt within a month, the supplier is obliged to notify the consumer three days before turning off the power.

The specifics of turning off the lights are regulated by regulations, in particular by Government decree. According to it, restrictions can be introduced:

By mutual agreement of both parties (supplier and consumer).
In case of violation by the user of the terms of the agreement (unauthorized connection to the network, financial obligations, energy consumption without a formalized contract).
By decision of Rostechnadzor when identifying violations in electrical communications.
Due to emergencies and repair work.
Scheduled outage. In this case, the duration must be specified in the contract drawn up with energy consumers.

If the outage is planned, then the power supply organization must warn electricity users about the upcoming outage. An announcement about shutdowns must be posted 10 days before repairs are carried out.

It should contain information about when the lights will be turned off, the reason for the shutdown, the timing and when the electricity will be supplied.

If the electricity is turned off for non-payment of the service provided, service is restored only after the debt is repaid. If it is not possible to pay the entire amount of the debt at once, you can agree to pay the debt in installments with the resumption of energy supply.

We suggest you read: They can turn off the electricity if a child lives in the house

An agreement is concluded between the supplier and the consumer that governs all relations between them, including whether they should be warned about a planned outage. There are several ways to sign this agreement:

unilateral signing of an agreement;
bilateral signing of an agreement.

These agreements are legal if all conditions are met by the energy supplier and the user. If we consider the bodies that exercise control over the fulfillment of these obligations, then these are local authorities.

Legislation regulates various issues, for example, emergency short-term power outages. You need to understand that if the user does not fulfill his obligations, the supplier may turn off the power.

No more than 24 hours should pass before the lights are turned back on. You also need to remember about the annual limit; it should not exceed 72 hours.

It is very rare that there are situations where longer delays occur; they depend on the extent of the damage. But even in such situations, repair work must be carried out within a reasonable time. Otherwise, the supplier will bear administrative or criminal liability.

If the organization violates all deadlines and does not fulfill all of its obligations that are specified in the agreement, then the residents have every right to defend themselves. To find out the specifics of the situation, the reasons for the breakdown, or interruption of power supply, you can contact the HOA, as well as directly to the supplier.

Please note that the statement of claim must contain all the necessary data:

the name of the organization that supplies energy;
date of suspension of filing;
the exact date of the emergency;
acts, inspections available on hand;
state of energy supply;
witness evidence;
written refusals from officials.

Mandatory procedures before turning off the lights

In the 21st century, it is impossible to imagine life without electricity. Power outages not only cause inconvenience to local residents, but also cause damage to businesses whose activities directly depend on uninterrupted power supply.

In accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation, restriction of access to resources must be carried out with prior notification to the user. It doesn’t matter whether it is carrying out scheduled work or disconnecting the defaulter from the energy supply networks. The Civil Code of the Russian Federation states that access to electricity cannot be restricted if such activity will lead to an accident.

In the event of a planned power outage for non-payment of supply services, the user must be properly notified. The notice is sent in writing in person or by mail. Proof that a person has received a notice will be his signature on the delivery slip. There is no provision for notifying the user orally, by telephone, or by telegram of the intention to disconnect him from communication networks.

Please note! It is possible to disconnect a user from electricity if he intentionally fails to fulfill his obligations to pay for the services provided for two months. He is given 20 days to repay the debt. If the client does not want to repay the debt, he is sent a paper stating the date the user will be disconnected from the communication networks.

After the supplier has notified the user of the need to pay for services, as well as the fact of a power outage, he can limit the supply of electricity. For example, turn on the light only at moments that are significant for a person’s life, in the evening, in the morning for several hours.

As a rule, three days after all debt repayment deadlines have expired, the supplier completely interrupts access to resources. At the same time, employees of the energy sales company seal the meter.

Note! If you do not have the full amount to pay the debt, you can agree on an installment plan. In addition, if you do not shy away from fulfilling your obligations, but simply explain your situation, you can achieve a deferment of payment for some time.

What to do during a power outage?

Please note! If a power outage is detected, the following actions must be taken:

First of all, you need to contact your neighbors and find out if they have electricity. If the shutdown occurred in only one apartment, you need to check the automatic shutdown reading. It is quite possible that a short circuit occurred, which triggered the machine;
If the cause is not found, you should contact the energy saving company in your region. There is a single number valid throughout the Russian Federation - 50-115. The connection is free from both landlines and mobile phones. However, you should call it if damaged network contacts are found located closer than ten meters above the ground;
if there is also no electricity in neighboring apartments, you need to familiarize yourself with information about scheduled repairs. To do this, you can call your energy saving company or read the data on the official website of IDGC of Center;
if the employees of the energy-saving company do not know about the lack of light, it is necessary to notify them about the problem, indicating the exact address and time of the trouble;
At home, all electrical appliances should be unplugged. It is possible that an accident has occurred.

Read more: Can pensions for working pensioners be cancelled?

The main thing is that you don’t need to try to restore the light supply yourself. Firstly, this is punishable by a fine, and secondly, rash actions will lead to irreversible consequences.

Watch the video. Disconnection of utilities for non-payment:

Act structure and notification

In 2021, there is no new procedure for disconnecting users from electricity supply networks. The energy supply company is guided by the Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 442 of May 4, 2012. At the time of suspension of electricity supply services, a report must be drawn up.

Its form is for informational purposes only. Each company draws up a document in the form that is most convenient for it. However, there are some requirements for its preparation.

Remember! The power outage act must contain:

type of suspension of service provision (partial or complete power outage);
moment of work (date and time of shutdown);
user data (full name, contact information, personal account);
a description of the actions taken when the user is disconnected from communication networks;
information about the meter (serial number of the meter, date of its installation);
latest meter readings;
level of delivery of part of the services;
reasons for refusing to carry out work to disconnect the user from communication networks.

Limitation of electricity for legal entities

Disconnection of enterprises from power supply also occurs with prior notice. The notice is sent by registered mail or delivered in person under the signature of a representative of the legal entity. There is another way to collect debt. Sending a payment request through the bank.

The decision on payment will be made by the head of the company himself. However, if he ignores the notice and pays for the services provided, the enterprise will be disconnected from electricity within the prescribed time frame.

If a legal entity has received a fine for violating the rules for using resources, it must pay not only the amount of the debt, but also the cost of collection.

For what debt is the light turned off for non-payment?

Read how to recalculate your electricity bills here.

What is the responsibility for illegal power outages, read the link:

There are other ways to notify a legal entity about the existence of a debt, for example, an email, a conversation on a landline or mobile phone. However, from an official point of view, such options are not suitable for properly notifying the user.

Watch the video. What to do if the lights are turned off for non-payment:

Illegal cases of disconnection

Turning off the lights is almost always legal. The supplier is confident that he is right. However, it happens that the power supply company suspends the supply of electricity by mistake. Illegal shutdown can only be proven in court.

If you discover illegal actions on the part of the energy sales company related to the suspension of electricity supply, you should contact a qualified lawyer who will help you understand the current situation. You can familiarize yourself with the regulatory legal acts regulating the activities of companies that supply light and independently file an appeal to the court.

The actions of an energy sales company that unlawfully suspended the supply of electricity fall under criminal liability. The user can recover from her the amount of material and moral damage.

Illegal power outages in accordance with the current legislation of the Russian Federation include:

suspension of energy supply without compelling reasons for more than a day;
multiple blackouts this year, totaling more than 72 hours;
power outages on weekends and holidays.

If you discover the fact of illegal termination of the supply of services, you must contact the head of the company with a corresponding statement. If such actions do not produce results, you can contact the Russian Technical Supervision and the court.

How long can electricity be cut off by law?

Over the past few years, the number of planned power outages has decreased significantly, but the power continues to be turned off.
Unscheduled power outages are associated with various types of repair work on power supply lines. Serious breakdowns also often occur in the areas of transformer stations. But how long can the electricity be turned off by law and when should it be turned back on? Let's deal with this issue. Illegal blackouts can only be proven in court. If your supplier turns off your power, it is likely that he is confident that his actions are legal or he feels impunity.

If you are sure that your electricity was cut off illegally, we recommend that you contact a professional lawyer for help, after which you can go to court with your electricity supplier.

Turning off the lights without good reason.
Power outage for more than 24 hours at a time.
Power outages for 72 hours or more per year (total).
Power outage due to hostilities.
Power outages before the holidays (unless it's an emergency).
Turning off the lights due to “debts” by mistake

Now let’s find out how long electricity can be cut off according to the law. If you are the head of an enterprise, in order to find out how long the electricity may be cut off, you need to carefully review the electricity supply agreement that was concluded between you and the organization that provides you with electricity.

The document must indicate which specific energy supply reliability category your enterprise belongs to. If your enterprise belongs to category 3, the lights can be turned off for a maximum of a day.

Buildings belonging to the other two categories have some additional energy sources: generators, etc., so their power supply can be turned off for more than 24 hours (this must be precisely specified in the contract).

They have the right to disconnect for debts until the debt amount is fully repaid. But they must also turn on the lights immediately after paying the entire debt.

Everyone should be afraid of power outages due to emergency reasons, because Russian legislation does not specify specific time frames for repairing such breakdowns - so it can take 1 day, or maybe even 3 or more.

Every product or service received by citizens of the Russian Federation must be paid for on time and in full. Electricity also falls into this category. In the event of violations on the payment of contributions by the consumer, there is a procedure for turning off electricity for non-payment.

Uninterrupted power supply is extremely important not only for the residential sector, but also for businesses. A power outage can cause serious losses for a business. It is important for the consumer to know in which cases power outages occur legally. For how long can the lights be turned off due to repair work? What are the power outage regulations? What is considered illegal? Read about all this in the article.

Determining how long electricity can be turned off according to the law depends on the consumer’s membership in a specific category. There are three reliability categories in total.

If the consumer belongs to categories 1 or 2, then the period for which the lights can be turned off depends on the terms of the contract, the parameters of the electricity scheme, and the presence or absence of backup power sources.

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For consumers belonging to reliability category 3, the period for which they have the right to turn off the lights is determined. The maximum time for which, by law, electricity consumption can be completely limited per year is 72 hours and no more than 24 hours in a row. An exception to the rule is when the power outage is due to repair work that requires a longer period. Reliability category 3 includes the majority of consumers (residential apartment buildings, private sector, etc.).

Repair work and emergencies can occur at any time of the year. The time for which the lights can be turned off by law is the same both in winter and in summer.

It is possible to prove illegal power outages due to repair work or other circumstances only in court. In some cases, the electricity supplier may be subject to criminal liability. For example, if due to a power outage the consumer suffered significant material damage.

In what cases can we say that the electricity was turned off illegally?

In the absence of justification.
When there is a power outage for more than a day.
If the power was turned off for more than 72 hours during the year.
When there is a power outage before holidays, if it was not an emergency.
If the power was turned off due to non-payment by mistake.

If you are convinced that the electricity supply was turned off illegally by the supplier, it is advisable to seek help from a lawyer. The specialist will be able to prepare the necessary documents for applying to the judicial authorities.

The actions of an energy sales company that unlawfully suspended the supply of electricity fall under criminal liability. The user can recover from her the amount of material and moral damage. Illegal power outages in accordance with the current legislation of the Russian Federation include:

suspension of energy supply without compelling reasons for more than a day;
multiple blackouts this year, totaling more than 72 hours;
power outages on weekends and holidays.

We suggest you familiarize yourself with: Drawing up an application in response to a decision to issue a court order to collect a debt for housing and communal services: sample filling
If you discover the fact of illegal termination of the supply of services, you must contact the head of the company with a corresponding application.

If such actions do not produce results, you can contact the Russian Technical Supervision and the court. Objection to a court order for the collection of housing and communal services debts. Share inFor consumers belonging to reliability category 3, the period for which they have the right to turn off the lights is determined. The maximum time for which, by law, electricity consumption can be completely limited per year is 72 hours and no more than 24 hours in a row. An exception to the rule is when the power outage is due to repair work that requires a longer period.

Reliability category 3 includes the majority of consumers (residential apartment buildings, private sector, etc.). Repair work and emergencies can occur at any time of the year. The time for which the lights can be turned off by law is the same both in winter and in summer.

An uninterrupted supply of electricity is considered an important condition for creating favorable living conditions. This is important for both residential buildings and industrial organizations. A power outage can cause serious losses for a business, and in certain cases can even endanger the lives of certain categories of citizens.

That is why it is worth thinking about in which cases a shutdown is legal, planned, and in which it is not. In this article we will look at this issue in detail and tell you where to turn if the lights were turned off illegally.

Legal termination of power supply to a specific subscriber is carried out strictly according to established rules. But it happens that supplier companies disconnect some consumers from it illegally.

A power outage is considered illegal if:

The supplier company did not justify the power outage in any way;
The power was turned off for more than a day and/or was absent for more than three days a year;
Electricity was cut off before the holidays (except for an emergency shutdown);
The power was mistakenly turned off for non-payment;
Housing and communal services turned off the electricity for debts not related to electricity supply;
A power outage in winter in a building for which electric heaters are used for heating in accordance with technical documents, even if all points of the procedure are followed exactly;
Rolling blackouts. When disconnecting a defaulter, the rights of other persons must not be violated.

It is also illegal to restrict the supply of electricity during scheduled repairs if the duration of temporary outages exceeds the norms provided for by regulatory documents.

When paying debts, power supply must be resumed no later than two days from the time the certificate of debt repayment or its restructuring is submitted. The fact that there is no electricity must be confirmed by the signatures of several neighbors, or by verification from an electricity sales representative.

It is worth noting that on the territory of the Russian Federation, regional lists of electricity consumers are regularly approved, the disconnection of which can cause problems of a social, economic or environmental nature. To be included in the list, you must provide a certificate stating that a sick person lives in the living space, whose safety of life depends on the uninterrupted operation of devices connected to the network.

It is important to remember that in the event of an illegal power outage, the consumer has the right to demand compensation for both material and moral damage. Its size will depend on the level of damage caused by the outage. It is also worth noting that illegally cutting off the electricity supply may be considered an administrative offense.

Usually this is qualified under the article arbitrariness and under Article 19.1 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Russian Federation, and a fine will be imposed on the perpetrators. In case of frequent power outages, the responsible officials may be held accountable under Art. 7.23 of the Code of Administrative Offenses for violations of the norms for the provision of public utilities to the population.

In cases where the illegal shutdown of electricity leads to particularly serious consequences, or was carried out using violence, the guilty officials may be prosecuted under articles providing for various penalties, including imprisonment. This is Article 330 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (arbitrariness) and Article 215.1 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (causing especially large damage or harm to health as a result of arbitrariness)

Where to go?

In what cases the light cannot be turned off even for debtors

There are cases when it is strictly forbidden to turn off the electricity. For example, if a house is heated by a boiler powered by electrical energy, interrupting the supply of the resource is strictly prohibited.

It is prohibited to turn off power if such actions will lead to an accident. Actions to stop the supply of resources must be carried out by qualified workers who have a specialization document. The connection points are tightly insulated.

Important! In case of accidents at the station or natural disasters, the supply of electricity may be suspended without prior notice. The service restoration period is unlimited.

In what cases is it illegal to cut off electricity due to repair work?

Referring to clause 2 of the “Rules for complete or partial limitation of electrical energy consumption”, temporary power outages can legally be carried out for the following reasons:

By mutual agreement of the energy consumer and supplier.
Due to violation by the electricity consumer of previously established obligations: unpaid bills, violations of energy consumption (theft), electricity consumption in the absence of an agreement. Due to large debts, electricity may also be turned off.

We invite you to read: Consent of the general meeting to terminate a major transaction

Important! In case of accidents at the station or natural disasters, the supply of electricity may be suspended without prior notice. The service restoration period is unlimited.

How long can electricity be turned off under a standard contract?

According to current legislation, the total time for which the energy supply company has the right to suspend the supply of electricity in connection with planned repairs is reflected in the contract. However, individuals, as a rule, do not have such a document.

To obtain it, you should contact your management company. For legal entities, such an agreement is stored in general business documentation.

Remember! To find out for what period of time the company can suspend the supply of light, you need to look at the relevant section of the contract. If such information is not available, then the legal period is considered to be 72 hours per year.

It should be noted that for enterprises a slightly different agreement is drawn up, which reflects the type of organization. So, for example, if a company belongs to the third category, then the resource cannot be disabled for more than a day.

As a rule, enterprises belonging to the first and second categories are equipped with additional power sources and generators. Therefore, the time to turn off the light is increased by 72 hours. The exact time is indicated in the contract.

You can disable a resource due to non-payment for services provided for the entire period until the debt is repaid. However, after paying the debt, power supply must be restored within 24 hours.

In connection with accidents, natural disasters, emergency situations, the suspension of light supply is not regulated. However, power supply must be restored as soon as possible. Qualified workers begin to deal with troubles immediately after they are discovered, even at night.

If the electricity supply has not been restored within 24 hours from the date of payment of the debt, you can go to court.

How long can electricity be cut off by law?

Determining how long electricity can be turned off according to the law depends on the consumer’s membership in a specific category. There are three reliability categories in total.

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Repair work and emergencies can occur at any time of the year. The time for which the lights can be turned off by law is the same both in winter and in summer.

What is enshrined in law

The fourth section of Government Decree No. 354 of 05/06/2011 “On the provision of utility services to owners and users of premises in apartment buildings and residential buildings” states that it is impossible to interrupt the energy supply system if the activity entails the disconnection of other networks that are part of the apartment building. These include heating, water supply, and sanitation.

However, there is a permissible duration of continuous power outage:

if there are 2 additional power sources operating from the power supply network - 2 hours;
if one object runs on electricity – 24 hours.

Note! If the specified standards are exceeded, payment for the services provided must be recalculated. For every hour 0.15% of the cost of consumption. However, it is not possible to calculate the amount to be paid in this way.

As a rule, an average calculation system is used, in which the total amount of energy consumed per month is divided by the number of days, and the average value is reduced by 0.15%.

By law, electricity can be turned off in several cases.

These include:

carrying out repair work in accordance with the established, approved plan;
introduction of regimes in which it is necessary to limit the supply of electricity.

If an emergency occurs, service users must be notified within five working days of the reasons for the power outage, as well as the approximate time frame for restoring the supply of the resource.