CFE Inspects Meters with Police and Lawyers

(Acapulco, SA 21 October) The Comisión Federal de Energía (the state electric utility) began last Monday a sweep of businesses in the tourist zone of Acapulco, accompanied by police and legal counsel, looking for “pirate” connections and irregularities in the meters. According to CFE’s spokesman, Raúl Gómez Cárdenas, the objective is to inspect upwards of 2,500 meters. Police and legal counsel will accompany the inspectors to avoid a repeat of an incident in the Hotel Club de Sol on October 7, when hotel workers detained CFE employees who had been sent there to disconnect service.

A similar initiative, accomplished five years earlier, resulted in the installation of seals and software to prevent illegal modifications of the meters. Without making specific accusations, the CFE believes that some meters have “failed to register actual consumption.” The objective is to reestablish service “according to the rules.” The police escort will keep customers from denying access to the meters or threatening CFE employees. According to CFE, 50 inspection teams will be reviewing meters in the five service subdivisions of the city. As the CFE is a federal entity, the spokesman said that in the case of irregularities or lack of payment, there will be no way the customers can make the CFE inspectors “look the other way.” “We will proceed directly to cut service,” he said.