EB officials unearth major power theft in luxury apartment complex on OMR

CHENNAI: The enforcement wing of the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (TNPDCL) has unearthed a major power theft at a luxury apartment complex under construction in Kottivakkam, off Rajiv Gandhi Salai (OMR), where 100 electricity meters were illegally installed with the alleged connivance of some TNPDCL officials.

Despite applications pending for new domestic connections, power had been supplied to several flats by illegally energising a transformer at the site. The apartment complex, comprising one 40-storey tower and two 20-storey blocks, has 636 premium units ranging from 1,311 to 3,252 sq ft. The apartment complex comes under the Tidel Park section office in the TNPDCL’s IT Corridor Division.

Sources said the developers had applied for 650 service connections and paid the necessary charges, but the applications have yet to be approved. As per the TNPDCL norms, four distribution transformers were required, considering the high connected load. However, only one transformer was installed, and it was energised without authorisation, sources alleged.

“Power was drawn illegally from the charged transformer, and 100 electricity meters were installed and used to supply electricity to the flats. The entire process bypassed the standard protocol,” said a senior TNPDCL official.

The TNPDCL relies on a SAP-based Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system to process service connections. New meters can be released only after applications are processed by the assistant engineer and sanctioned by the executive engineer (EE). Officials pointed out that no such process was followed. “Meters were taken from stores and installed without ERP entries, clearly indicating inside help,” a source said.

The racket came to light on June 13 during a surprise inspection by the ex-servicemen squad of the TNPDCL. The enforcement wing further took over the investigation due to the scale of the theft and the possible involvement of staff.

Though the flats are unoccupied, the meters have already recorded usage between 300 and 500 units, mostly due to interior works.

The enforcement officials had imposed a fine to the tune of ₹35.66 lakh, including ₹5.8 lakh in compounding fees, on the developers, which they have paid up.

Even though the Central Electricity Regulatory Commission pegs the connected load rate at ₹4,000 per kilowatt, the TNPDCL levies ₹2,000 per kW for theft cases. Officials said the developer applied for 8-10 kW per flat, but fines were calculated on just 2 kW per unit for 145 flats, resulting in significant revenue loss.

Sources also said the developer delayed payment by three to four days. “If this were a regular consumer, a police complaint would have been filed within 24 hours,” a TNPDCL official said.

A senior official confirmed the fine was imposed but admitted that no departmental action had been recommended. “An inquiry should be held. If any complicity of officials violates the norms for effecting service connection, appropriate action would be taken,” he said.

Meanwhile, the superintendent engineer of the Adyar Distribution Circle, under which the IT Corridor Division falls, said he was awaiting a full report from the enforcement team before making further comments.