Endesa hunts down electricity fraud in Malaga

Endesa hunts down electricity fraud in Malaga

Image: Pixabay

Endesa hunts down electricity fraud in Spain’s Malaga.
So far this year more than 160 cases of electricity fraud have been detected in Malaga. Endesa is working hard to stamp out this problem. The majority of the illegal connections to the grid were due to illegal marijuana plantations.
Endesa in conjunction with the authorities has carried out nearly 250 actions to prevent energy theft. Over the last two years, the number of inspections has been increasing. Endesa is cracking down on people illegally connecting to the grid without a contract.
The company is using new technology to help detect fraud. It is using artificial intelligence which has revolutionised the detection of energy theft. Last year the company discovered energy was being stolen during one out of every two inspections carried out in the province of Malaga. In 2020 a staggering 184 frauds were discovered by only 269 inspections.
Fraud is getting more complicated. Traditional methods involve double connections and bridges. The company is now seeing more innovative measures including printed circuit boards being added to metres. The company recently commented: “We are detecting a large number of frauds with a precision that would have been difficult to imagine just a few years ago.”
Electricity fraud affects society as a whole. The cost of stolen electricity has to be incurred somewhere and this increasingly falls on consumers. The dodgy and illegal connections also pose a fire risk in many cases.


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Alex
Written by

Alex Glenn

Originally from the UK, Alex is based in Almeria and is a web reporter for The Euro Weekly News covering international and Spanish national news. Got a news story you want to share? Then get in touch at editorial@euroweeklynews.com.

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