Pubdate: Tue, 19 Apr 2011
Source: Langley Advance (CN BC)
Copyright: 2011 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.langleyadvance.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1248
Author: Gerry Bellett
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Marijuana - Canada)

BC HYDRO GOES AFTER POWER THIEVES

BC Hydro is pursuing 19 civil claims through the courts to recover
about $2.1 million in diverted power, electricity the utility says was
stolen in large part by illegal marijuana-growing operations,
including a major one in Langley.

In the past three years, Hydro has launched 24 such civil suits, said
Hydro official Simi Heer, recovering about $5 million from persons who
have stolen electricity.

Heer said the money has been recovered through either litigation or
from out-of-court settlements.

"There are also a number of cases where we are preparing for
litigation but have not yet filed in court," said Heer.

In all cases, the thefts were associated with illegal
marijuana-growing operations, she said.

BC Hydro claims British Columbia's illegal marijuana industry steals a
staggering $100 million worth of electricity each year. In January,
Hydro received $99,003.35 from one customer whose power had been shut
off last November. The invoice was paid in full before litigation began.

For those who don't pay, Hydro can register judgments against their
property, garnish bank accounts, seize property or ask the court to
hold defendants in contempt for ignoring court orders, Heer said.

Last year in Langley, the RCMP raided a marijuana-growing operation
they believe had been in business for four years. Officers allegedly
found three stolen Hydro meters, equipment, and 35 pounds of packaged
marijuana.

BC Hydro estimated it had lost $171,000 from power theft during that
time and sued the three persons associated with the property for the
money.

It also turned off the power to a home and a number of outbuildings on
the property. Earlier this month, one of the defendants in the civil
action, who claims not to have been involved in stealing electricity,
asked the B.C. Supreme Court to order Hydro to turn the lights back
on.

Hydro had "arbitrarily and maliciously" disconnected electrical
services to his residence in breach of the contract of service he had
with Hydro, the defendant claimed.

The court decided the petitioner would have to stay in the dark as it
lacked the jurisdiction to make such an order, accepting Hydro's
position that reconnecting the power was a matter between the
defendant, BC Hydro and the B.C. Utilities Commission.

"BC Hydro estimates that its legitimate customers bear over $100
million per year in unnecessary energy costs to make up for
electricity stolen by marijuana grow ops," she said.

"The problem has been increasing over the last few years as both the
amount of electricity being stolen and the value of each kilowatt hour
has increased."

For example, in this fiscal year, Hydro issued invoices totalling $6.3
million to customers for confirmed thefts "shut down as a result of
our investigations," a 142-percent increase from 2007, when such
invoices amounted to just $2.6 million.

"We are currently experiencing a trend toward larger, more
sophisticated and dangerous electricity thefts across the province,"
said Heer.

Hydro, however, is banking on technology to turn the
tide.

Its contentious smart-metering program - a $1-billion scheme to
replace all existing meters with ones that will transmit data using
low power radio frequencies - will help Hydro quickly identify
unexplained electricity loss once introduced, said Heer.

"This will help protect crews and the public from the serious safety
hazards created by electricity theft, including fires, exposure to
live high voltage and premature transformer failures." 
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake