The Fiji Electricity Authority stressed that if unlicensed electricians are being used for electrical installations, any such connections are illegal and are not connected to the FEA grid.

After serious concerns raised by the Consumer Council of Fiji on electrical companies allegedly using unlicensed electricians, the FEA confirmed that it assisted the Council by supplying the relevant data on the Registered Electrical Contractors.

FEA CEO Hasmukh Patel said that as the Electrical Regulatory body, FEA is responsible for issuing electrical and electrical contractor licenses.

Patel said only those Contractors and wiremen who are issued licences are permitted to carry out electrical installations in accordance with Aus/NZ standards and these installations are further inspected by FEA to ensure they are compliant to approved standards prior to connection to the FEA grid.

Patel stressed that installations carried out by unlicensed contractors and electricians are not inspected by FEA nor connected into the grid and if such is happening then it is an illegal connections and they are urging member of the public to report such illegal connections to FEA and to the Police.

The FEA said it is still looking through the findings of the Consumer Council of Fiji to verify the claims that unlicensed electricians are being hired by Electrical contractors before they make any further comments.

The Consumer council claimed that these connections by unlicensed electricians is the cause of the home fires in Fiji.