K-Electric removes 290kg of illegal wires in Orangi Town

KARACHI:  In a recent crackdown, K-Electric (KE), in collaboration with law enforcement forces, has disassembled 81 illegal connections weighing a total of 290 kilograms in Orangi Town to stop electricity theft in Karachi, ARY News reported.

The sub-areas that were targeted in the operation included Peerabad, Aligarh Market, Banaras Market, and Sathan Colony. Moreover, the operation also uncovered 53 cases of electricity theft through tampered meters.

One of the KE’s spokespersons said that the illegal connections were responsible for drawing off more than 157,000 units of electricity on an annual basis.

The area has outstanding dues exceeding PKR 1.6 billion, which has caused a significant financial impact.

The spokesperson highlighted that such unauthorised connections not only endanger public safety by bypassing standard operating procedures (SOPs) but also impose major damage on the utility networks.

As a part of K-Electric’s anti-theft campaign, this operation aims to decrease line losses, improve service reliability and stop electricity theft in Karachi.

The spokesperson mentioned that, at the moment, 70% of KE’s network is exempt from load-shedding. While areas that have high theft and non-payment concerns continue to face scheduled outages.

K-Electric repeated that restricting theft and ensuring bill payments on a timely basis are important steps toward achieving a load-shedding-free Karachi. In recent months, KE has strengthened its efforts citywide.

In another operation earlier this year, the K-Electric removed over 6,000 kilograms of illegal wiring from different industrial and residential areas.

KE has urged residents, community leaders, and elected authorities to aggressively discourage electricity theft and promote responsible energy use. The utility also asked the government to classify electricity theft as an arrestable offense, implementing stricter penalties.

Read More: K-Electric tariff likely to be slashed by Rs.4.69/unit

The electricity tariff is likely to be decreased for K-Electric consumers by Rs4.69 per unit.

In welcome news for residents of Karachi, electricity tariff may drop by Rs4.69 per unit for Karachi consumers as NEPRA is scheduled to hold a hearing on June 19 regarding K-Electric’s petition for a reduction in tariffs under the monthly fuel adjustment mechanism.