Electricity Theft Not Worth the Risk

Every year, electric cooperatives across the country cope with thieves—folks who deliberately tamper with their electric meter to steal power. Not only is this practice extremely dangerous, it’s a serious crime that results in hefty fines and jail time.

Some people interfere with the operation of their meter or jump power to elsewhere to lower or avoid paying electric bills; and they do some dangerous things—using knives, forks, magnets, jumper cables, and any number of other objects to get around paying for the power they use. This is not only stealing from their fellow cooperative members, it is also risking their lives and the lives of our workers.

According to the Cooperative Research Network, a division of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, power surging through a compromised meter can cause an electrical catastrophe. A short circuit could produce an arc flash bright enough to cause blindness and powerful enough to launch fragments of shrapnel-like, red-hot debris. Serious injury or death from electrocution, explosion, or fire often results from meter tampering. Only trained Access Energy Cooperative personnel wearing protective clothing should work on meters.

Electricity theft is not a victimless crime. Your not-for-profit Access Energy Cooperative loses revenue and expends resources to investigate tampering. These costs are then passed on to the entire membership. National estimates vary, but The Washington Post cited revenue protection officials who claim between $1 billion and $10 billion worth of electricity is stolen from utilities annually.

Since everyone pays for lost power, please let us know if you suspect meter tampering. Call Access Energy Cooperative at 866.242.4232 to report possible theft of service. All information can be given anonymously.

Sources: Christine Smith; The Washington Post; Cooperative Research Network