The actions for prevention and combat against deviations held by Neoenergia between January and September 2020 resulted into 424.6 GWh of energy. Such amount would be sufficient to supply the capitals Natal (RN) and Recife (PE), which adds up to 2.4 million, for one month. The data refers to the four Neoenergia concessionaires – Coelba (BA), Celpe (PE), Cosern (RN) and Elektro (SP/MS), places at which there were more than 380 thousand inspections over the period. The company holds a number of initiatives and technologies targeted to prevent and combat energy deviations, such as the installation of smart sensors and more modern energy meters, which flag any attempt of fraud. That task has already regularized, over the first nine months of the year, 151.3 thousand consumers.
“We invest on innovation and intelligence to combat energy deviations, contributing for people to have regular and safe access to energy. Two examples of the technologies used are the analytics tools and sensors, which are installed at the grids. The innovation contributes to make the processes more assertive”, Luiz Flávio Sá, Neoenergia’s Chief Customer Service Office, stated.
Among the initiatives used by Neoenergia, we highlight the grid shielding. That action enables the equipment to be remotely monitored by the Metering Center of our distribution companies, both for performance of services, such as metering and reconnection, and to identify any interferences in the metering. We consistently follow our grid shielding plan at Neoenergia group’s distribution companies.
Our smart sensors are installed at strategic locations, considering high complexity surveys, which allow us to monitor the energy balance of our grid, enhancing the diagnostics of any fraud detection. The equipment enables the identification of those losses, so it is an important instrument in order to subsidize actions held in partnership with the law enforcement in the 5 States in our concession area.
“We have to understand that the fraudulent processes are harmful to the entire population, particularly the consumers paying their bills on time. In addition to the risks to life caused by the improper modifications on the grid, a portion of the robbed energy ends up being prorated among all consumers. For that reason we combat all types of frauds; in September, we mobilized the law enforcement from the five States of Neoenergia’s concession area and performed the biggest operation on energy deviation in Brazil, at all times in order to improve the supply to our customers”, Marcelo Fernandes, Neoenergia’s Revenue Management Superintendent, declared.
REGULARIZATION OF CUSTOMERS
Any customer who is still in irregular situation and does not own the energy meter installed may contact the distribution companies in order to regularize the connection for free. In order to support the consumers and encourage the regularization, a number of citizen-oriented services as for the payment in installments and payment of invoices through the digital channels.
The company also advises that people must call the concessionaires in case they find out any irregular connections at the energy grids surrounding their residence. “Those connections expose the population to electric shock risks, since they are not performed under proper technical conditions. For the avoidance of any issues, it is important for people to contact the distribution companies”, Harley Albuquerque, Neoenergia’s Health and Safety Manager, stated.
SCENARIO IN EVERY DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
The 162 thousand inspections performed by Coelba regularized 61 thousand customers and recovered 201.4 GWh. Such total amount referring to the period from January to September 2020 would be sufficient to serve the cities of Feira de Santana and Porto Seguro, in the State of Bahia, which population adds up to more 760 thousand people, for two months.
At Celpe, 124.2 thousand inspections were performed and 73.9 thousand consumers were regularized. The total amount of recovered energy was 134.1 Gwh, the sufficient amount to supply the entire archipelago of Fernando de Noronha and the City of Caruaru for three months.
The energy recovered by Elektro was 68.9 GWh, equivalent to the consumption of Campos do Jordão, in São Paulo, for six months. The concessionaire regularized 10.5 thousand consumers and performed 45.2 thousand inspections. Almost 20.2 Gwh were recovered by Cosern, equivalent the consumption of Macaíba for two months. In the State, 5.9 thousand customers were regularized and 51.2 thousand inspections were performed.
WHISTLEBLOWING
Neoenergia reinforces the significance of whistleblowing energy frauds and thefts. The community’s support is essential to identify the deviations and call the distribution companies. The whistleblowing reports are anonymously made by Relationship Centers or directly at the website, on Canais de Atendimento [Service Channels] > Denúncia de Irregularidade [Irregularity Report]:
Relationship Center for anonymous whistleblowing:
Coelba/Celpe/Cosern: 116
Elektro: 0800 701 01 02
Digital service channels (Website and WhatsApp):
Coelba www.coelba.com.br | (71) 3370-6350
Celpe www.celpe.com.br | (81) 3217-6990
Elektro www.elektro.com.br | (19) 2122-1696
Cosern www.cosern.com.br
| (84) 3215-6001