Customer Attitudes Towards the Role of Socio-Economic Factors in Electricity Theft: An Empirical Investigation

In: International journal of social ecology and sustainable development: IJSESD ; an official publication of the Information Resources Management Association, Band 13, Heft 6, S. 1-21

Abstract

Electricity theft has become a matter of trouble for both customers and electricity distribution companies. Due to electricity theft, distribution companies are facing lots of T&D losses every year. Despite of several technical measures adopted, there is no significant reduction in losses due to electricity theft. This fact diverts the attention towards non-technical measures which include formulation and enforcement of stringent rules and regulations. As the policies need to be enforced on electricity customers, therefore, policies should be designed in accordance with the customers' attitude towards electricity theft. Therefore, this work has analyzed their attitude towards role of certain socio-economic factors which strongly impact the practice of electricity theft. This study has surveyed the electricity customers of two distribution companies, UHBVN and DHBVN in State Haryana. The findings of this work may help the electricity distribution companies to chalk out better and more effective plans to put check upon the practice of electricity theft in the society.