Mosul governor says illegal power connections could bring up to seven years in prison

MOSUL, Iraq — The governor of Mosul, Abdulqadir al-Dahil, said authorities have begun a field campaign against illegal electricity connections and losses in the city's power grid, with penalties of one to seven years in prison for offenders. He said the move follows an instruction at the start of the judicial year from the head of the Supreme Judicial Council to apply legal sanctions against those tapping the network. Al-Dahil described illegal connections as theft of public property. Joint commissions set up in the city center, districts and sub-districts have started work to remove the hookups and reduce losses, under the direct supervision of the local administration, he said. The governor noted that about 40 percent of the total energy distributed in Mosul is lost. He said officials are also considering a "red card" system for informal settlements to track consumption and organize collection without depriving residents of electricity service. Despite Iraq's financial crisis and power shortages, al-Dahil said the city aims to become a leading center in the energy sector.