Given the fact that we have become dependent on the presence of electricity in the house, the situation when the power was turned off can be safely called an emergency. Under current law, service providers must have a legal basis for cutting off electricity and must follow certain procedures in doing so. If the lights suddenly go out in your apartment, it is important to know who to call to find out the cause and what measures to take.

Grounds and reasons for turning off your electricity

Disconnection of residential buildings (apartments) from engineering systems of prime necessity (electricity, gas and water supply) cannot be made without good reason. This provision is spelled out in the regulations. The cases in which the service provider can disconnect the consumer or restrict the supply of energy are strictly stipulated. These include:

1. Agreement of the parties with the termination of the contract for the provision of services.
2. Technical reasons for blackouts.
3. Economic bases.

With the first paragraph of the questions, everything is clear, but the second and third require explanation. Let's consider on what grounds they can turn off the electricity.

Technical

Such situations can arise both due to circumstances independent of the consumer, and through his fault. In the first case, we are talking about emergencies and scheduled repairs, in the second, the decision of Rostekhnadzor. Now for the details of each option:

Naturally, it is impossible to warn consumers in advance about the suspension of electricity supplies in the event of emergencies. In such situations, the power companies can only announce repairs through the media. Connecting consumers to the network will be carried out immediately after the elimination of the emergency. Unfortunately, at the legislative level, the period for the restoration work is not specified.

The timing of such work should be reflected in the contract, but at the same time they should not contradict the standards for consumers belonging to the 3rd category (residential buildings are included in this group). That is, during scheduled outages, the supplier must turn on the light no later than one day after the start of work. The total time for scheduled repairs should not exceed 72 hours during the year (if consumers are de-energized).

1. The consumer can turn off the light due to the improper condition (or non-compliance with the standards) of the power receiving equipment installed by the owner of the apartment or house. This is due to the violation of electrical safety measures, which can cause serious consequences.

In such cases, the decision to turn off the light is made by the inspector of Rostekhnadzor or based on the results of an inspection by a special commission of the Criminal Code. In this case, the owner of the apartment is given a preliminary notification.

Economic

These grounds are directly related to the violation of the terms of the contract (or lack thereof) between the supplier and the consumer, which caused losses to the electricity supplier. Based on applicable law, the service provider may cut off the supply of electricity (following the appropriate cut-off procedure) in the following cases:

In the last two cases, in addition to turning off the light, the violator will face a serious fine.

Description of the shutdown procedure

There is an established procedure, in case of violation of which the consumer has the right to apply to the supervisory authorities or appeal against the actions of the electric company in court. In accordance with Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation No. 354, in the event of a delay in payment, the supplier, before turning off the light, must send the first notification to the consumer with an offer to pay the debt.

The text of the notification indicates the amount of the debt and the date of disconnection (or restriction) of services (as a rule, after 20 days). If the debt was not repaid during the specified period, the provision of services is limited for a period of 10 days, and the debtor is re-informed, after this period the disconnection procedure is initiated. If there is no technical possibility to limit the consumer, then the company can immediately proceed to the de-energization event.

The warning may be given in person or sent by certified mail. If the consumer evades receiving the notice, then permission to disconnect may be obtained through legal action. In this case, the burden of legal costs still falls on the debtor. After the court has given permission, the service provider has every right to turn off the electricity.

In addition to notification of the possibility of disconnection, the consumer can be informed in the following ways:

• by calling the phone number specified in the contract;
• by e-mail (if it is specified in the contract);
• notification at the entrance to the State information system of housing and communal services;
• a warning about the presence of a debt for electricity, printed on the receipt for utility services.

Often, in the event of non-payment of utility bills, the Criminal Code motivates consumers to pay off debts by turning off the light. If the service agreement is signed directly with the energy company, then these are illegal actions of utilities. When providing services through an intermediary (management company) if the rent is not paid, the housing office can “cut off” the light (turn off the electricity).

To avoid the above problems, pay on time for the services provided and do not delay paying utility bills.

What can be done when the light goes out?

First of all, you need to find out why the light disappeared. You can get information by calling the relevant service (numbers and names will be given separately). If the cause of the shutdown was an accident, then it is necessary to wait until it is eliminated by the repairmen. In this case, there is no way to influence the situation.

The lack of electricity may be due to planned work, in which case the light can be connected both in an hour and 24 hours. The notification that the light will be turned off is made in advance. If there was no warning, then it is likely that he was simply not noticed. Energy companies are subject to serious penalties for illegal blackouts, so the procedure for this event has been worked out to automatism.

If the wires were “cut off” due to a debt, then in order to reconnect the light, it is necessary to go through the appropriate procedure, having previously fully paid off the debt. After that, you need to contact the district RES and submit an application. You must have a passport, a contract for the provision of services and receipts for payment of debt around the world.

After all organizational issues are resolved, the connection is made within 3-5 days (in cities and villages, respectively).

Who to call and contact if the power is turned off?

If there is no light, in the capital you can contact MOESK at the multi-channel phone number 8-800-7004-070. Those who have signed an agreement with Mosenergosbyt should call 8-800-5550-555 or 8-495-9819-819. Residents in the Moscow region and other regions of the Russian Federation should contact the dispatch services of regional distribution zones. It is advisable to find out and write down the numbers in advance.

Residents of Kiev in a similar situation can contact Kyivenergo by calling the short number 15-88 or dialing 044-2021-588. Residents of other settlements can get the necessary information at the regional RES if they have written down the phone numbers of the services in advance.

Residents of the Republic of Belarus should call the control room of the ZhES. If the disconnection occurred outside of business hours or on weekends, you should call the ZHREO. As a rule, the numbers of these services can be found on the front doors of the entrance. An alternative option is to call the Ministry of Emergency Situations (number 101), they will prompt the desired phone number or switch to the dispatch service.

How much does it cost to reconnect electricity after a power outage?

If the electricity was cut off due to debt, then in order to connect electricity, it will be necessary to compensate the expenses of the electric company in the amount of a certain amount. Starting from 2017, there is a limit on the maximum connection cost - 1000 rubles. You can connect the light for free only if it was turned off illegally.

Pay on time to avoid costs and enjoy unlimited electricity.