This figure highlights the scale of a problem that not only affects the distribution infrastructure but also compromises the quality of supply for legitimate residents and businesses. Electricity fraud poses a significant safety risk, with fires reported due to tampering with installations, which damages the network and causes supply interruptions.

In the first three months of the year, the defrauded energy in Seville reached 25.2 million kilowatt-hours. Of this total, 1.8 million, or 8%, are attributed to marijuana plantations. Although only 27 cases were linked to these types of crops during the analyzed period, their consumption is exceptionally high, demonstrating the significant energy impact of these illicit activities.

Marijuana plantations, often set up in homes and industrial warehouses, are a primary source of fraud due to their constant 24-hour electricity consumption. The company's network subsidiary carried out 14 interventions in Seville against fraud associated with these crops, in collaboration with the State Security Forces. These actions aim to dismantle complex installations that often include manipulated electrical systems to sustain intensive cultivation.

The phenomenon of electricity fraud is a European-wide problem. The European Drug Report 2025 indicates that Spain accounts for 73% of marijuana plant seizures in the European Union, with a particular incidence in regions like Andalusia and Catalonia. Criminal organizations often install long electrical lines and tamper with transformation centers, increasing risks for both operators and the environment.

To combat this issue, Endesa maintains anonymous reporting channels. The recent enactment of Organic Law 1/2026 tightens penalties, especially for cases linked to marijuana cultivation, providing for prison sentences of six to eighteen months or fines of up to twenty-four months, representing a significant change in the legal response to this type of fraud.