A campaign to prevent and combat violations of electricity usage regulations.

(Baonghean) - The Youth Volunteer Team for preventing and combating electricity usage violations is a new model jointly implemented by the Standing Committee of the Nghe An Provincial Youth Union and the Nghe An Power Company. Initially, its operation has yielded practical results in detecting and handling electricity usage violations, and in raising public awareness about safe, economical, efficient, and lawful electricity use.

The Youth Volunteer Team for preventing and combating electricity violations in Do Luong district was officially established and began operating in April 2015 with 10 core members, including Youth Union members from the District Police, the Electricity Company, and leaders of several Youth Union branches in the district. Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong, Deputy Secretary of the Do Luong District Youth Union and Team Leader, stated: The team was established to promote the pioneering role of young people in raising awareness among Youth Union members and the public about safe, economical, efficient, and lawful electricity use; the team is also responsible for detecting and handling violations of electricity usage and electricity theft. In August 2015 alone, the team coordinated with the Do Luong Power Branch to conduct inspections in Phong Lam commune, Phong Thinh commune, Cat Van commune in Thanh Chuong district and Dai Son commune in Do Luong district, discovering 3 cases of electricity usage violations resulting in a loss of 7405 kWh, with fines collected totaling 21,270,000 VND.

In areas without members of the Youth Volunteer Team, the Do Luong District Youth Union has deployed and stationed volunteers to coordinate when needed. These volunteers serve as both communicators and "eyes and ears" in detecting violations of electricity usage. In addition, to prepare for the upcoming rainy and stormy season, the team also coordinates with the Electricity sector and local youth unions to organize campaigns to clear vegetation and protect the safety corridor of the power grid in areas such as Hien Son and Tru Son.

The Youth Volunteer Team for preventing and combating electricity usage violations in Do Luong district mobilizes to clear vegetation. Photo: Manh Cuong

Given the complex situation of electricity usage violations, especially electricity theft, occurring in the area, which not only harms the electricity sector but also poses a significant danger to violators due to the high risk of electrical accidents, the Dien Chau District Youth Volunteer Team for preventing and combating electricity usage violations focuses on promoting safe electricity usage, preventing violations, and combating electricity theft among the population. They also disseminate information on Government Decree 134/2013/ND-CP, issued on October 17, 2013, which stipulates administrative penalties in the electricity sector, hydropower dam safety, and efficient energy use. In addition, they strengthen coordination in inspecting and detecting electricity usage violations in key areas. In the first phase of the operation, 1,090 violation reports were filed, including 1,086 reports on metering system inspections and 4 reports on electricity usage inspections. Through coordinated inspections by the Youth Volunteer Team, 4 individuals were issued violation reports, including 2 cases for faulty or inaccurate metering with a total recovery value of over 7 million VND, and 2 cases for electricity theft with a total recovery value of over 19 million VND...

Mr. Ngo Thanh Cong, Deputy Secretary of the Dien Chau District Youth Union and Team Leader of the Dien Chau District Youth Volunteer Team for preventing and combating electricity violations, said: "Besides the youth force in the area, the team also has the participation of electricity sector staff and district police officers. This ensures both professional expertise and legal support, making coordination and implementation of activities easier, especially in handling violations. All team members have received training from the electricity sector on necessary knowledge to ensure safety and effectiveness when participating in activities. However, due to various reasons, the team currently only operates in phases, quarterly, and has not yet been able to operate regularly. The activities of the Youth Volunteer Team have had a positive impact in raising the sense of responsibility and awareness of complying with legal regulations on electricity use among the people." Simultaneously, it supports the electricity sector in detecting, addressing, and limiting negative behaviors in electricity usage, and improving the quality of electricity. In the coming time, the Dien Chau District Youth Union will continue to implement and expand the model of youth volunteer teams for preventing and combating violations of electricity usage in all 39 communes and towns in the district.

Evaluating the effectiveness of the Youth Volunteer Team model for preventing and combating electricity theft, Mr. Pham Van Toan, Deputy Head of the Urban Youth and Workers Committee of the Provincial Youth Union, said: In recent years, electricity theft has been a frequent and increasingly sophisticated crime in the province. While the infrastructure of power lines in rural areas is outdated and maintenance is limited, the electricity sector's workforce is insufficient to meet the demands of preventing and combating violations and ensuring the safety of the power grid in all areas. Based on this reality, the electricity sector urgently needs the coordinated efforts of all levels of government, especially the Youth Union. Therefore, the sector has proactively signed an agreement and established a coordination mechanism with the Standing Committee of the Nghe An Provincial Youth Union to establish Youth Volunteer Teams for preventing and combating electricity theft (under the Standing Committees of the district Youth Unions) and provide a small portion of the operating costs for the teams (derived from the reward money for handling electricity theft violations). Based on the results of the pilot model in Dien Chau and Do Luong districts, in the coming time, the Provincial Youth Union Standing Committee and Nghe An Power Company will continue to expand the youth volunteer teams for preventing electricity usage violations in several districts in the province.

Gia Huy