The volume of electricity energy defrauded in the province of Tarragona has skyrocketed by 51% since 2022. This escalation places the territory as the second focus of energy fraud in Catalonia.
Official records confirm that illegal consumption exceeded 59 million kWh during the past year. The figure contrasts with the 39.1 million recorded just three fiscal years ago.
Hidden plantations drain the grid
Tarragona accumulated 2,741 files for energy irregularities in 2025. Only Barcelona presents a higher volume within the regional map.
The magnitude of the electrical embezzlement is equivalent to the annual consumption of 16,885 homes. This amount represents practically the entire population of neighbors in Torredembarra.
"Criminal organizations require more powerful installations causing an increase in defrauded energy" - Police sources
A detailed analysis reveals that the dismantled marijuana plantations account for 20.5 GWh of the total defrauded. This figure represents 34.8% of all energy stolen in the demarcation.
Although these crops only represent 4% of the open files, their impact on the grid is disproportionate. The consumption of these illegal farms equals the annual demand of a population like Altafulla.
From the small apartment to the industrial warehouse
Inspectors locate illegal plants in very diverse settings. Operations uncover fraudulent connections in small apartments and single-family homes.
They also find large industrial warehouses adapted for indoor cultivation. This modality gains weight compared to outdoor cultivation due to its higher energy expenditure.
The number of cases linked to cannabis in Tarragona went from 78 in 2022 to 110 in 2025. The trend reflects a professionalization of crime.
"More than 50% of the energy defrauded in Catalonia corresponds to large consumers" - Data from the electricity sector
In the set of Catalonia, electrical fraud added up to 24,347 files in 2025. The total volume reached 486.5 GWh.
Barcelona concentrates the majority with 17,888 cases and more than 344 GWh defrauded. The rest is distributed by strategic areas for drug trafficking.
Drug premium fraud occurs in the municipalities around the AP-7. Tarragona, Vallés Occidental and Oriental, and the Girona regions particularly suffer from this phenomenon.
Physical Risks and Legal Response
Manipulations on the electrical grid generate real dangers for citizens. These practices are behind fires and electrocutions.
They also cause supply cuts that affect entire neighborhoods. Technicians trying to regularize the installations have suffered assaults during their interventions.
The electricity companies have intensified the use of artificial intelligence. These systems detect anomalous consumption patterns with greater precision.
The recent reform of the Penal Code toughens the penalties against this crime. Cases of repeated fraud linked to marijuana cultivation can carry prison sentences of up to 18 months.
The international collaboration includes the French gendarmerie and organizations such as Interpol. The objective is to dismantle the networks that operate behind these illegal connections.