On Monday May 30, 2022, PNG Power Limited (PPL) announced the extension of the Amnesty Initiative until the August 31, 2022.
All Unregistered electricity consumers connected to the PNG Power grid without a meter are encouraged to go forward and register as new customers at their nearest PNG Power offices or call the toll free number 116.
The Amnesty Program is an initiative of PPL and partners, USAID-PEP. The program is part of PPL’s Revenue protection Strategy (short, medium and long-term) as part of its 3-year corporate plan aimed at combatting revenue leakages, maintaining existing revenue and growth revenue through new customers.
As of date, PPL is losing 26% to 30% of energy generated through illegal power theft activities such as meter tampering, meter by-pass, and direct connections. This directly leads to leakages in PNG Power’s cash flow hence limiting investments into repair/maintenance, spares and other capital investment requirements to improve power service reliability.
PPL stated that the low socio economic environment contributes to domestic consumers resorting to illegal power connections which many business houses in the retail/grocery sector are deliberately involved in these illegal activities also.
There are twenty business houses identified and will be charged with penalties accordingly as they are high consumption customers. These businesses are based in Port Moresby, Lae and Mt Hagen.
PPL has stated that identities of the businesses will be protected at this time.
PNG Power and USAID-PEP partners have determined that an estimate of over 100,000 customers are currently consuming power without a PNG Power meter.
Post Amnesty period, which is after August 31 2022, PNG Power will be launching an external reward program during which the public will be rewarded with very attractive incentives for reporting any illegal power connections. Whilst customers caught stealing power outside of the amnesty period will be prosecuted and all penalty fees to be charged accordingly.
PPL Chief Executive Officer Obed Batia said with power being an essential service, PPL is making this genuine call to all electricity users to assist PNG Power in addressing power theft.