Utility Police
Irving-based Nighthawk won't let thieving drug dealers drive up your electricity bills
Stealing electricity might seem like a victimless crime, but those contraband kilowatts aren't just floating out into the abyss. Because utility companies take average usage to generate rates, theft can inflate bills.
"The cost of stolen electricity is absorbed by the consumer," Michael Mayer says. "Everybody on the grid is paying for that."
Enter Nighthawk Total Control, an Irving-based company specializing in smart meters and theft alert systems. Mayer, vice president of sales and marketing, says that people who steal electricity range from white-collar criminals to drug dealers.
"The cost of stolen electricity is absorbed by the consumer," says Nighthawk's Michael Mayer. "Everybody on the grid is paying for that."
"Marijuana grow houses use a lot of power," Mayer says. "So a lot of times they try to tamper with the meter."
Forbesrecently reported that Houston residents paid around $14 million to recoup the losses from stolen electricity in 2010. Nighthawk says electricity theft in the U.S. totals $6 billion annually, and it is the third most common theft behind credit cards and vehicles.
If a utility company employs a Nighthawk smart meter with an instant alarm device, then any unusual activity is immediately reported to the company, which of course has an incentive to respond quickly.
Although the cost of theft is ultimately passed down to the consumer, utility companies are still very interested in recouping whatever losses they can. Besides stealing electricity, thieves also target the copper wiring inside transformers.
If you see anything unusual about your electricity meter, Mayer recommends contacting your utility company to investigate any potential tampering.
"Everybody picks up part of the price for these thefts," Mayer says.