In the current context of energy transition, talking about electrical networks is talking about security, equity and sustainability. Every kilowatt counts, not only to move towards a cleaner and more efficient system, but also to ensure that energy reaches everyone under fair conditions. In this scenario, electricity fraud continues to be one of the great challenges of the system.
In Spain there are no official figures and it is the energy companies that provide data on the actions they carry out to stop these fraudulent practices.
Specifically, the energy company Naturgy recently reported that, over the past year, the group’s electricity distributor in Spain, UFD, intensified its strategy against illegal connections and the manipulation of facilities and meters.
The result is very significant, in 2025 UFD carried out more than 46,800 anti-fraud actions, which resulted in the opening of nearly 13,300 files. This work allowed us to recover 149 GWh of stolen energy, 12% more than the previous year, a consumption equivalent to that of 46,500 homes.
As Mónica Puente, director of Spanish Electricity Networks at Naturgy, points out, electrical fraud “not only represents economic damage to the system as a whole, but also generates serious risks for the security of the facilities and those who manipulate the network.”
Security risks
Electrical fraud is not just an economic issue. Irregular connections pose a real risk to the safety of people and infrastructure, and affect the quality of supply. Manipulated installations, uncontrolled overloads or equipment connected without proper guarantees increase the probability of serious incidents.
Furthermore, this type of practices directly impacts the sustainability of the electrical system. Lost energy does not disappear: it translates into higher costs for all consumers and makes efficient management of the network difficult, especially at a time when it must increasingly integrate renewable generation and new electrical uses.
Smarter networks
The fight against electrical fraud is today inseparable from the digital transformation of networks. According to Naturgy, the company has been investing for years in modernizing its infrastructure, incorporating sensors, remote control systems and advanced data analysis tools that allow it to monitor the network in real time.
Thanks to the use of big data, artificial intelligence and monitoring systems, it is possible to identify anomalous consumption patterns and locate irregularities more quickly and accurately. This capacity has made it possible, for example, to intercept the fraudulent consumption of 144 indoor facilities, mostly linked to marijuana plantations, which illegally consumed 4.4 GWh annually, 19% more than the previous year.
In the opinion of the energy company, “to reinforce electrical networks as the backbone of the energy transition, the electrification of new uses, the integration of renewable energies and the growing demand for quality and continuity of supply require more flexible, resilient and digital networks and the fight against fraud is also an essential part of that equation.”