Amid a scorching heatwave and ongoing government efforts to manage the strain on the power grid through deliberate electricity cuts, electricity theft rises. The Egyptian Ministry of Electricity has reported unprecedented levels of electricity theft, using methods including hacking electricity meters to manipulate usage data, or illegally connecting electrical cables directly to homes, bypassing consumption meters altogether. This illicit activity not only escalates electrical loads unpredictably but also exacerbates the problem of load shedding and leads to frequent power outages. The spokesperson for the Egyptian Ministry of Electricity, Ayman Hamza, disclosed that instances of electricity theft extend beyond illicit and unlicensed sites, encompassing thousands who maintain meters yet persist in stealing power. The country is experiencing electricity losses of about 25 to 30 percent, Egypt’s Minister of Electricity, Mahmoud Essmat, stated. Ahmed El-Sigini, chairman of the Local Administration Committee at the House of Representatives, reported that electricity theft is costing the country billions of Egyptian pounds. A member of the parliament attributed the rise in electricity theft to escalating costs of goods and services, which burden low-income earners and compelled some to turn to unauthorized means of power consumption. He…
Electricity Theft Surges Amid Egypt’s Heatwave and Power Strain
July 16, 2024
By Nadine Tag
Journalist
