Over 50 Million Birr in Power Infrastructure Theft in 7 Months – Ethiopian Electric Utility

"In just 7 months, over 50 million Birr worth of power infrastructure theft has occurred," reports the Ethiopian Electric Utility.

The Ethiopian Electric Utility has announced that, in the past seven months, theft of power infrastructure estimated at over 50 million Birr has taken place.

The theft, which also occurs in Addis Ababa during broad daylight, has been identified as a major cause of service interruptions, according to the Ethiopian Electric Utility.

What did the utility's communication executive, Mr. Melaku Taye, say to Deutsche Welle Radio?

He explained that their institution's role is to purchase electric power in bulk from Ethiopian Electric Power and distribute it to customers.

However, he noted that the theft of power infrastructure in various parts of the country is creating significant challenges in service delivery.

The problem is escalating over time, and the damage it is causing to the national economy is worsening, he added.

In the current fiscal year, over 50 million Birr worth of power infrastructure theft has been reported in just seven months.

In the capital city, Addis Ababa, theft of infrastructure, including power transmission lines, transformers, and distribution stations, has been rampant, even during daylight hours.

These are resources imported using foreign currency, and the damage caused is significant, he stated.

The theft directly impacts service delivery, he emphasized.

"When damage to infrastructure causes power outages, it is not only the affected customers who suffer but also the institution itself, which incurs significant losses," he said. "This act causes us to lose revenue from customers, and the cost of repairing the damaged infrastructure is also very high."

He mentioned that there has been some moderate improvement in preventing theft, but the situation remains concerning. All relevant stakeholders must collaborate to stop this problem and protect these national assets from further damage.

"Theft of electrical infrastructure is happening because there are receivers of the stolen goods. These entities must be held accountable for their actions," said Mr. Melaku, adding that the government is working to bring the perpetrators to justice.