MIRI: Electricity theft to power cryptocurrency operations continues to bring danger to the public
Last week, a fire broke out at Pelita Commercial Centre shoplot filled with cryptocurrency mining equipment.
Sarawak Energy was alerted to the incident by the firemen and performed an emergency shutdown when it received a distress call before the fire could be extinguished safely.
It sent a technical team to the incident and discovered approximately 50 burnt cryptocurrency mining machines at the premises after the fire was put out.
“Direct tapping cables which were connected from the mains wiring directly into the premises and charred cables were also found at the scene.
“Based on these findings and similar cases in the past, the fire was caused by the illegal and unsafe wiring system used to mine cryptocurrency,” it said in a statement yesterday.
Sarawak Energy added recent surges in electricity theft among cryptocurrency mining operators were also linked to fires threatening public safety.
Of the 11 fire cases recorded, 10 occurred in Miri.
“Landlords are strongly advised to conduct background checks on potential tenants, as well as to be mindful and alert of their activities to avoid being implicated in electricity theft committed at the rented premises.
“Electricity theft is a criminal offence under Section 33(5) of the Electricity Ordinance, which carries a penalty of up to RM100,000 and/or five years’ jail if found guilty.
“We want to remind our customers that tampering with wires to under-record electricity consumption is both illegal and dangerous.
“In cases where electricity is stolen for energy intensive activities such as cryptocurrency mining, it can also lead to outages in the surrounding areas, causing unnecessary inconvenience to neighbours,” it said.
It also reminded members of the public not to trust service providers claiming to be able to reduce electricity use or allow premises owners to enjoy unlimited usage of electricity through meter tampering.
Meter inspection teams are trained to detect various electricity theft methods, including tampered meters, fake electricity meter covers and underground direct tapping as part of Sarawak Energy’s efforts to curb power theft.
To report any suspicious activities related to electricity theft and service providers claiming to be able to reduce electricity use, members of the public can contact Sarawak Energy’s Customer Care Centre at 1300-88-3111 or email at customercare@sarawakenergy.com. All information received will be kept strictly confidential.
