Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), the largest electricity supplier in Malaysia, has released new data indicating a significant rise in cases of electricity theft in the country. Since 2018, this figure has increased by 300%, which is attributed to illegal crypto mining.
This is reported by Finway
According to TNB, the number of recorded cases of illegal electricity usage surged from 610 in 2018 to 2397 in 2024. This leads to serious financial losses and threatens the stability of the national energy system.
“This spike in complaints reflects a growing public awareness of illegal mining.”
Criminals typically create illegal mining farms by connecting equipment to the power grid through tampered or bypassed meters. Many property owners only learn about these violations after receiving bills for significant amounts, sometimes up to 1.2 million Malaysian ringgit (approximately 279,265 USD).
TNB is taking measures to combat these crimes by collaborating with law enforcement, anti-corruption agencies, and local councils. The company is conducting large-scale raids across the country.
“Such actions have helped maintain the stability of the energy grid.”
Among the innovations being implemented to combat electricity theft are the installation of smart meters that detect abnormal consumption in real-time, as well as calls for stricter enforcement of Malaysia’s Electricity Supply Act, which imposes severe fines and criminal penalties for tampering with the energy grid.
According to CEIC Data, in December 2024, the cost of electricity in Malaysia was only 0.052 USD per kWh, while total production reached 15,451 GWh, making the country attractive for illegal mining.
Recently, numerous cases of illegal electricity usage related to crypto mining have also been discovered in other countries, including Kuwait.