British energy regulator Ofgem sets new rules according to which gas suppliers will have to be much more proactive at stamping out gas theft. New rules are set to come into force from January 2013.
Gas theft puts lives at risk and also increases costs for consumers. Research performed in Great Britain suggests theft could cost around £138 million, or around £6 per household per year. The new regulations require gas suppliers to detect, prevent and investigate gas theft. Suppliers will also be required to set up a cross industry theft risk assessment service to help them target investigations. Similar bodies already exist in the water, insurance and telecommunications sectors.
At present, almost 3,000 gas thefts are detected each year and Ofgem wants this figure to at least double to 6,000.
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