Endesa detects massive electricity fraud from marijuana crops in Andalusia

Endesa has reported significant electricity fraud linked to indoor marijuana cultivation across Andalusia, Spain. In the first half of 2026, the utility company identified hundreds of cases where illegal connections were used to power large-scale cannabis plantations.

In Málaga, 29 identified cases accounted for over three million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of stolen energy, an amount equivalent to the monthly consumption of approximately 10,000 households. These cases represent 14% of all electricity fraud in the province during this period. In Granada, marijuana cultivation was responsible for roughly half of the total electricity defrauded in the province, while in Almería, cannabis-related fraud accounted for 44% of the provincial total.

Although these plantations represent a small percentage of total fraud cases, their energy demand is disproportionately high. Indoor cultivation requires continuous lighting, ventilation, and climate control, placing extreme pressure on the electrical grid. Endesa warned that such illegal manipulations can cause infrastructure saturation, power outages for residents, and safety hazards due to faulty wiring and illegal connections. To mitigate these issues, the company has had to triple power capacity in some areas and reinforce transformation centers and cabling.