Nored cracks down on illegal power connections
At the conclusion of the token identifier (TID) project, northern Namibia's regional electricity distributor, Nored, discovered that 520 electricity meter boxes had been bypassed or illegally connected to the grid across its area of operations.
Rundu tops the list of towns with the highest number of illegal connections, followed by Oshikango, with Ondangwa ranking third, Nored stated.
Nored spokesperson Simon Lukas said last week that illegal connections and tampering with electricity meters through bypasses, particularly in informal settlements or peri-urban communities, are increasing, which hampers service delivery for those who are legally connected.
Lukas added that 80% of these cases were recorded in informal areas.
When Nored engaged with the guilty parties, they argued that the slow rollout of electricity provision, particularly in informal settlements, was a contributing factor.
“This, [residents] said, leads them to engage in illegal connections or create opportunities for those who facilitate them, as people want to enjoy the benefits of electricity. But another concern is that even in areas where Nored has provided electricity services, people still bypass the formal connections to cut costs,” Lukas explained.
He added that some individuals believe that the cost of electricity is too high, but since they want to enjoy the benefits of power in their homes, they use their family and friends who work for the electricity distributor to bypass the legal connections.
Dangerous connections
Lukas warned residents that this behaviour is not only risky but also criminal, stressing that those caught with illegal connections will face the full consequences of the law.
Illegal connections also lead to unplanned power interruptions and damage to equipment and infrastructure and put entire communities at risk, especially vulnerable individuals such as children, who may be exposed to dangerous, unsafe wires while playing outdoors.
“Illegal connections can also create imbalances in the network, affecting its stability and efficiency. Electricity is extremely dangerous and must always be provided legally and safely to prevent loss of innocent lives and injuries,” Lukas said.
Education is key
He said Nored has launched an awareness campaign to educate communities about the dangers of illegal connections and the associated costs.
“Residents need to understand how these criminal activities increase operational costs, endanger those committing the crimes, compromise infrastructure, and pose risks to Nored staff members who work on electricity installations,” Lukas stressed.
Illegal connections are detected through routine inspections by field technicians, monitoring of power consumption and meter reading patterns, as well as collaboration with the Namibian Police and public awareness initiatives, such as radio talk shows and community meetings.
Rundu tops the list of towns with the highest number of illegal connections, followed by Oshikango, with Ondangwa ranking third, Nored stated.
Nored spokesperson Simon Lukas said last week that illegal connections and tampering with electricity meters through bypasses, particularly in informal settlements or peri-urban communities, are increasing, which hampers service delivery for those who are legally connected.
Lukas added that 80% of these cases were recorded in informal areas.
When Nored engaged with the guilty parties, they argued that the slow rollout of electricity provision, particularly in informal settlements, was a contributing factor.
“This, [residents] said, leads them to engage in illegal connections or create opportunities for those who facilitate them, as people want to enjoy the benefits of electricity. But another concern is that even in areas where Nored has provided electricity services, people still bypass the formal connections to cut costs,” Lukas explained.
He added that some individuals believe that the cost of electricity is too high, but since they want to enjoy the benefits of power in their homes, they use their family and friends who work for the electricity distributor to bypass the legal connections.
Dangerous connections
Lukas warned residents that this behaviour is not only risky but also criminal, stressing that those caught with illegal connections will face the full consequences of the law.
Illegal connections also lead to unplanned power interruptions and damage to equipment and infrastructure and put entire communities at risk, especially vulnerable individuals such as children, who may be exposed to dangerous, unsafe wires while playing outdoors.
“Illegal connections can also create imbalances in the network, affecting its stability and efficiency. Electricity is extremely dangerous and must always be provided legally and safely to prevent loss of innocent lives and injuries,” Lukas said.
Education is key
He said Nored has launched an awareness campaign to educate communities about the dangers of illegal connections and the associated costs.
“Residents need to understand how these criminal activities increase operational costs, endanger those committing the crimes, compromise infrastructure, and pose risks to Nored staff members who work on electricity installations,” Lukas stressed.
Illegal connections are detected through routine inspections by field technicians, monitoring of power consumption and meter reading patterns, as well as collaboration with the Namibian Police and public awareness initiatives, such as radio talk shows and community meetings.
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