PLN suffers Rp 3 trillion in losses every year due to power theft

State-owned electricity firm PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) has been suffering Rp 3 trillion per year in losses due to rampant power theft or illegal usage of electricity, the Kompas newspaper reported in its Tuesday edition.

The above information was disclosed by PLN’s director of trade and services Subur Aritonang and director of distribution and transmission Herman Darnel Ibrahim in Denpasar, Bali on Monday. They were attending a regional coordinating meeting in Denpasar.

Herman Darnel said the PLN’s annual shrinkage of power is around 15 percent. From this, around 10 percent is due to technical shrinkage or natural phenomenon.

“The shrinkage happens through electricity wires whenever the electricity passes through and it cannot be avoided,” Herman Darnel said.

Meanwhile, around 5 percent of shrinkage of power occurs due to theft. There are various methods in stealing power including connecting to the cable or transformer and illegal usage of power on the streets.

The technical shrinkage of power cannot be avoided. The PLN’s real losses come from theft. Every percentage of shrinkage can cause Rp 600 billion in losses. This means every year PLN loses Rp 3 trillion from theft of 5 percent of power.

Aritonang also supported the views of Herman Darnel and said the power theft in Indonesia is disturbing. Without giving much detail, Aritonang said the power theft is rampant in Java, Sumatra and Kalimantan. He sought the public participation in fighting power theft.

PLN has 32 million customers in entire country. Every year, this figure is increasing by one million. (*)