The CEO of Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) announced that, in the 2016 fiscal year, the company suffered a loss of 817 million Birr due to the theft of power transmission line bearing towers.
Eng. Ashebir Balcha, Chief Executive Officer of EEP, stated that theft is currently occurring on towers across all regions of the country.
He pointed out that, out of 74 towers that collapsed for various reasons in the past fiscal year, 57 were brought down due to theft. He also mentioned that the company spent 114 million Birr on repairs.
According to the CEO, EEP incurred a total loss of 817 million Birr in the past fiscal year due to thefts of towers across the country.
The CEO mentioned that the increasing thefts at the towers have kept the institution occupied with maintenance work, which is impacting efforts to expand energy access, as Eng. Ashebir said.
The CEO explained that infrastructure theft not only places a financial strain on the company but also disrupts its operations and impedes the provision of reliable, high-quality electricity to the community.
He also mentioned that the theft of lines under construction is causing delays in completing projects according to their planned schedules.
He said that despite various efforts to prevent theft, the challenging terrain through which the lines pass has rendered these efforts ineffective.
Eng. Ashebir emphasized that the involvement of community members in areas where the lines pass is crucial for preventing theft. He added that efforts are underway to establish a system ensuring that each community takes responsibility for protecting the infrastructure in their area.
The CEO called on all communities to protect power infrastructure to maintain the longevity of existing projects for future generations and to support the development of new projects that will enhance electricity access nationwide.
He also urged the media to fulfill their role by raising awareness about the importance of infrastructure to the country and the harmful effects of theft on the nation’s economy and society.