29 EPS to be functional soon

The Orissa government has decided to make the proposed 29 special Energy Police Stations (EPS) in the state functional soon.

It has initiated steps for setting up these EPS at different locations to check the power theft. This will be in addition to the existing 5 EPSs functioning in Bhubaneswar, Cuttack, Sambalpur, Balasore and Berhampur.

The new EPSs will be set up in places like Puri, Nayagarh, Panikoili, Jagatsinghpur, Kendarapada, Baragarh, Jharsuguda, Bolangir, Sonepur, Deogarh, Angul, Dhenkanal, Bhadrakh, Baripada, Rairungpur, Chhatrapur, Bhanjanagar, Gajapati, Boudh, Kandhamal, Koraput, Raygada, Malkangiri, Nawarangapur, Kalahandi, Nuapada, Sundergarh, Rourkela ans Keonjhar.

According to state energy minister Surya Narayan Patro, every 1 percent power loss due to the theft or transmission loss costs Rs 24 crore. Though power loss has declined from more than 50 percent few years back, it is still about 42 percent.

The power distribution companies in the state namely Nesco,Wesco, Southco and CESU, will bear all the expenses of setting up special EPSes.