Electricity theft remains a concern for the Antigua Public Utilities Authority, although officials say the practice is less prevalent than in previous years.

Electricity Business Unit Manager Andre Matthias said APUA conducts regular audits of residential and commercial accounts to identify suspicious consumption patterns.

When illegal connections or meter tampering are discovered, the authority takes action against those responsible.

Matthias said the planned introduction of automated meters should make it considerably easier to identify tampering.

The technology would immediately send a signal to APUA if a meter is removed or interfered with.

Officials would also be able to compare real-time consumption data and identify unusual changes in electricity use.

The automated system could support remote disconnections, reconnections, outage management and voltage monitoring.

APUA stressed that electricity theft not only affects the authority’s finances but can also create serious safety hazards for customers, utility employees and surrounding properties.