The Power Distribution Services (PDS) Ghana, in the Volta/Oti Regions has retrieved Two Hundred and Twenty-Four Thousand, Three Hundred and Twenty One Ghana Cedis (GH¢224,321.00) from customers who illegally used power in the two regions from October 2018 to April 2019.

A total of 106 residential and non- residential customers were charged for illegal power connection, which amounted to the GH¢224,321.00, representing the cost of 0.216 Gigawatts hour (Gwh) of power stolen.

Mr William Addy, Revenue Protection Manager of PDS Volta and Oti Regions, said some illegalities the customers engaged in were meter bypass, unauthorized and direct connections and meter tampering in areas within the eleven operational districts of PDS in the Region.

He said meter bypass was when customers connected equipment directly to the service poles of PDS instead of their meters and cautioned against the practice, saying, it could cause fire outbreak and loss of life.

Mr Addy said the Company had introduced measures like the installation of energy audit meters to help curb power theft.

Mr Delali Oklu, General Manager of PDS Volta and Oti Regions, said “the Company is working seriously to curb the menace of power theft by some recalcitrant customers, which deprives the company of revenue."

He said, “the day and night monitoring of electricity connections of customers and the integrity of their meters by the Revenue Protection Division of the Company will be intensified to achieve zero percent power theft in the Region.”

The eleven operational districts of the Service in the Volta and Oti Regions are: Ho, Kpeve, Hohoe, Kpando, Akatsi, Sogakope, Denu, Keta, Nkwanta, Jasikan and Dambai.