Filenews 22 May 2023 - by Dora Christodoulou
In Pafos, the phenomenon of illegal use of electrical load from hundreds of premises is taking on very serious dimensions, which are now also related to the proper functioning of the EAC system. As "F" reveals, the phenomenon has reached explosive proportions, with the crews of the Electricity Authority being called to cut off illegal electricity in specific areas, refusing to go to them without police escort, while cases were recorded where police officers could not protect the crews due to the massive attack on them by dozens of angry foreigners.
The problem with the theft, essentially, of electrical charge by foreigners waiting for the examination of their applications for political asylum has gotten out of control in the areas of Chlorakas and Tremithousa, where the two largest organized accommodation blocks for these people operate, while an alarming increase is also appearing in the area of Emba. A competent source told "F" that after the frequent attacks on EAC officials who went with instructions to cut off the illegal electricity supply to residential complexes, the crews decided to do so only accompanied by a police force.
In this case too, however, incidents were recorded by large numbers of angry people, with the few police officers accompanying the employees of the Authority unable to intervene effectively and in order to avoid the worst to call on the crews to restore the benefits, albeit illegal, so that they could leave the specific areas unharmed.
The illegal connection of premises to the network continues even in areas where EAC itself was forced to shut down its substations. Typical is the case of a settlement in Chloraka, where dozens of apartments continue to be illegally electrified, even though the substation serving this complex was abolished by EAC itself.
Now, illegal users of the network, officials stressed, have managed to transfer electricity to illegally used premises from other substations, while cases are already recorded where thefts are made from the premises of residents who are legal users of the Authority's network.
As a result of the huge extent of the problem in specific areas, they concluded, failures in the EAC electricity network have already begun to be recorded during this period, such as the one that occurred a few days ago in the wider area of Chlorakas.
They called on the authorities, and especially the Police, to take specific measures to strengthen their patrols and escort the teams attempting to remove these illegalities.
