- The spread of marijuana plantations is causing severe overloading of power grids, posing a serious threat to the safety of people and infrastructure, leading to power outages and even fires.
- Last summer, overloads caused by tampered installations led to 24 fires in Andalusia’s distribution grids.
Endesa, through its grid subsidiary e-distribución, has opened 457 cases related to marijuana plantations in Andalusia in the first four months of this year —an average of three cases per day.
These farms are detected with the help of law enforcement, which identifies indoor cultivation operations inside residential properties. Such activities affect neighbouring homes, as the energy demanded by these plantations is equivalent to 80 homes simultaneously consuming at maximum power, 24/7, 365 days a year.
This excessive energy consumption, combined with tampering with electrical installations, poses significant risks to both the individuals carrying out the illegal connections and those living nearby, including the danger of fires and electrocutions. In fact, last summer, overloads caused by indoor marijuana plantations triggered 24 fires in Andalusia’s distribution grid.
The electricity consumed by these plantations alone amounted to 24.5 million kilowatt-hours stolen. In total, 85 million kilowatt-hours of electricity were stolen in Andalusia during the first four months of the year, 30% of which was due to marijuana farms.
In areas where many plantations are concentrated, electricity demand spikes to industrial levels, with some neighbourhoods consuming as much energy as entire hospitals. When law enforcement carries out raids, energy loads drop instantly —by up to 90%— restoring normal energy conditions.
These illegal practices are also linked to criminal organisations, which create unsafe environments for both local residents and Endesa’s field technicians working in these areas.
Through e-distribución, Endesa continues to work on solutions to mitigate this issue. In addition to doubling, tripling, or even quadrupling grid capacity in the areas most affected by marijuana-related energy fraud, the company is deploying cutting-edge technology, digitalising distribution grids, and installing sensors to detect and prevent grid overloads. For the past decade, AI and big data have been integrated into field operations to support inspectors and enhance predictive models to combat energy fraud.
Public collaboration is also essential. Therefore, Endesa has set up the following anonymous reporting channels for anyone who notices suspicious activity or anomalies: email (anomalias@enel.com), phone (+34 800 760 220), or an online form (available on the e-distribución website). All information shared is completely anonymous and confidential.