Is it permissible to pay a sum of money to officials in a non-Islamic country in exchange for them not cutting off electricity to a factory owned by a Muslim, knowing that there is an option to pay a larger amount to the state through a fast meter that does not represent actual consumption?

The electricity consumer must adhere to the terms of service, in accordance with the hadith: "Muslims are bound by their conditions." It is not permissible to tamper with the electricity meter, whether by employees (because it is a betrayal of trust) or by consumers (because it is consuming public funds unjustly). Paying money to employees to tamper with the meter is a forbidden bribe. However, if the consumer cannot obtain their rightful due except by paying money to the employee, then it is permissible for them to do so, and the sin falls upon the one who takes the bribe.