AMMAN — The Energy and Minerals Regulatory Commission (EMRC) on Wednesday said that it has document a total of 13,747 electricity theft cases during the first nine months of this year.

EMRC Chief Commissioner Farouq Hiyari said that 2,636 electricity theft lawsuits were filed during the January-September period, with courts issuing final rulings on 1,323 of the cases, the Jordan News Agency, Petra, reported, citing an EMRC statement.

Hiyari added that in September alone 1,623 alleged electricity thefts were detected from 210,079 inspections, with security bodies detecting 225 thefts, while electricity distribution companies and the commission detected another 496 and 902 cases, respectively, Petra said.

Of the total discovered cases during the January-September period, electricity distribution companies detected 4,267, while public security and gendarmerie personnel uncovered 1,820 thefts, said Hiyari. Electricity distribution companies also found 1,145 cases, and 378 were detected in areas affiliated with the Irbid District Electricity Company.

The commission and the concerned authorities will intensify inspection campaigns during official working hours and on holidays to combat electricity theft and address attempts to tamper with the electrical system, Hiyari added.

The law stipulates that anyone who tampers with the electrical system or is involved in electricity theft may face imprisonment from anywhere between six months to two years, a fine from JD2,000 to JD100,000, or both, according to Petra.

Under the law, all those who intentionally vandalise, destroy or hinder the work of power facilities or cause them any damage could face imprisonment for one to three years, a fine ranging from JD2,000 to JD100,000, or both.

The penalty can also be increased if the violation poses any danger to public safety, Petra added.

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