Overview

• Electricity theft cases in Malaysia surged from 610 in 2018 to 2,397 by the end of 2024, driven by illegal crypto mining operations.
• Nationwide raids conducted by TNB, police, regulators, and other agencies have dismantled an average of 2,300 illegal mining rigs annually since 2020.
• Illegal miners have exploited Malaysia's heavily subsidized electricity, costing TNB hundreds of millions and destabilizing the power grid.
• TNB has expanded its smart meter network for real-time monitoring of electricity consumption to detect tampered or bypassed meters.
• Authorities are advocating stricter enforcement of the Electricity Supply Act, which imposes fines up to RM1 million and prison terms of up to 10 years for tampering with the grid.