Tampering with electricity meters in Saudi Arabia can now cost up to SR100,000

Dubai: Saudi Arabia’s Electricity Regulatory Authority has introduced sweeping amendments to its enforcement regulations, significantly increasing penalties for violations under the Kingdom’s Electricity Law.

The amendments, approved this week, include updated fine assessment mechanisms and stricter penalties based on the severity and circumstances of each infraction.

Among the most notable amendments are steeper fines for tampering with electricity meters. Offenders now face penalties ranging from SR5,000 to SR100,000, depending on the breaker’s amperage capacity.

For example, tampering with a meter connected to a 100-amp or smaller breaker carries a SR5,000 fine, while tampering with one over 400 amps could incur the maximum SR100,000 penalty.

Violations involving individuals who do not own the meter account or are not actual beneficiaries will automatically incur a SR50,000 fine — subject to increase if the violation is deemed serious or has been repeated more than twice, as per the criteria set by a designated committee.

10 core violations

 The amendments define 10 core violations, including failure to comply with the authority’s directives in handling complaints (SR20,000) and failure by licensed entities to provide requested information (up to SR100,000).

Other violations include SR2,000 fine for missing statutory deadlines related to electrical services, SR50,000 for non-compliance with performance standards, and SR3,000 for violations related to small-scale photovoltaic systems and electric vehicle charging frameworks.

The new regulations also update procedures for assessing repair costs and compensation in cases of meter tampering. If a tampering incident causes a reduction in consumption, the responsible party must cover the cost of the unrecorded electricity as well as repair expenses.

For residential users, repair costs range between SR250 and SR1,150 if the meter remains intact, and SR1,150 to SR4,050 if a replacement is needed. In non-residential cases, fines range from SR300 to SR2,050 (no replacement), and SR1,150 to SR4,950 (with replacement).

A new provision targets direct, unmetered connections to the national grid. In such cases, violators must cover the value of unregistered consumption and pay for grid repairs based on the cable’s diameter. Fines range from SR1,300 to SR17,000 for residential and SR1,700 to SR33,000 for non-residential connections.

The authority also introduced requirements for service providers to remove violations, repair damage, and refer cases for compensation claims. Providers must complete all legal procedures related to enforcement and cost recovery.