The impact of imigrants on illegal electricity consumption: Case of Syrian immigrant in Turkey

Electricity is necessity fo􏰂 dail􏰅 need􏰆 in 􏰇oda􏰅􏰈􏰆 condi􏰇ion and i􏰇 ha􏰆 gained 􏰆o m􏰉ch importance. Accordingly, illegal electricity consumption is a crucial situation in both developing and developed countries and this thesis aims to find the relationship between immigration and illegal electricity consumption. In this study, we use panel data and difference in differences estimation methods. Due to the fact that Turkey has random immigration influx and the majority of immig􏰂an􏰇􏰆􏰈 population in Turkey consists of Syrian immigrants, we take Syrian immigrants in Turkey as a case study.

We use data of electricity theft and loss rate of 27 provinces and their socio-economic data for the period of 2009 -2016. Using the panel data fixed effects and difference in differences methods we mainly find that immigrant influx has an important impact on illegal electricity consumption. Moreover, unemployment rate, privatization, population density and amount of agricultural land have significant effects on illegal electricity consumption in our models.