MARIJUANA GROWING OPERATIONS STEAL MORE BC HYDRO POWER EVERY YEAR

MAPLE RIDGE - The cost of marijuana growing operations to BC Hydro
continues to rise.

While it's impossible to calculate how much electricity is being stolen
locally to grow pot, Hydro representative Elisha Moreno said Monday "it's
certainly a growing concern, no pun intended."

Last year, BC Hydro billed out $2.2 million to customers stealing
electricity to keep illegal crops budding. Of that money, the public
utility recouped around $1.8 million, but the true costs associated with
theft of electricity are far higher, with some estimates predicting as much
as $100 million worth of power being stolen each year.

"There's ones out there we don't know about," Moreno said.

Ridge Meadows RCMP say they have tips pointing to more than 100 growing
operations at any one time. In nine raids during the past month, electrical
bypasses were found in all the homes.

The largest single bill given to a homeowner for stealing electricity was
$40,000.