What’s Happening:

• The number of electricity thefts in Malaysia has surged by 300% from 2018 to the end of 2024, largely attributed to illegal crypto mining operations.
• While crypto mining itself is legal in Malaysia, tampering with electrical setups can result in hefty fines and potential prison time.

Details:

According to a report by The Star, joint operations involving major utility provider Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), the Energy Commission, and local police have led to the detection of significant electricity thefts linked to mining activities.

In a statement, TNB noted that these collaborative raiding efforts have resulted in the shutdown of numerous illegal mining facilities, increasing the reported cases from 610 in 2018 to 2,397 in 2024.

The rise in complaints is also due to heightened public awareness on reporting illegal mining practices. With crypto mining being an energy-demanding process, some miners resort to stealing electricity instead of paying for it, which ultimately leads to this surge in thefts.

It’s noteworthy that the majority of the cases emerged after 2020, with an average of 2,303 reported thefts related to crypto mining annually between 2020 and 2024.

TNB has reached out for comments regarding these findings.