Power Theft a Growing Issue for Templeton Light

Power theft a growing issue for Templeton Light

Driscoll says safety primary concern
Kerry O'Brien
News Staff Writer

TEMPLETON — Residents stealing power has increasingly become a problem for the Municipal Light and Water Department, according to General Manager John Driscoll, leading commissioners to begin a discussion on creating more deterrents to electricity theft.

“People are getting particularly brave and stupid about it,” Mr. Driscoll said. “Coming from other municipal light plants, I’ve never seen it this bad. It’s amazing. It’s a sign of the times that it’s really bad out there. We don’t want anyone to get hurt.”


The theft of power does not have much of an impact on the department’s bottom line, Mr. Driscoll said.

“It’s not that dramatic. We’re used to operating when having less cash flow in winter,” he said, citing laws that prevent electricity providers from shutting off service to customers in arrears between Nov. 15 and April 15. “It’s just the principle of the theft.”

Mr. Driscoll said the major concern for the department is the dangerous manner in which people go about illegally wiring electricity to their homes.

Over the summer, he said, several residents who had their power shut off after 90 days of non-payment cut wires and used scrap materials to fashion a connection back to their homes.

“It’s extremely dangerous, even if they think they know what they’re doing,” he said. “Eventually, someone is going to do something wrong and blow their hands off. We don’t want to deal with that situation.”

Although the light department currently charges those who steal power a $100 fine along with the cost of wiring inspections and employees’ time, Mr. Driscoll said the department may now have to purchase more sophisticated equipment.

“We’re just going to go to a more advanced metering and make it very, very hard (to steal)” he said.