Overview
- The energy ministry’s written reply to Parliament put losses at RM4.6 billion from 13,827 premises between 2020 and August 2024.
- TNB and multiple agencies have conducted joint raids that seized bitcoin mining machines, with police reporting recent arrests in northern Malaysia.
- The utility has created an internal database of owners and tenants at premises suspected of crypto-linked electricity theft to guide inspections.
- Smart meters are being installed at electricity distribution substations to monitor usage in real time and detect power manipulation.
- Crypto mining is not illegal, but authorities pursue meter tampering and bypass offences under the Electricity Supply Act as cases have surged since 2018.