Adani Electricity cuts AT&C losses with crackdown on power theft
Mumbai, July 14
Adani Electricity's anti-theft drive has succeeded in significantly reducing its Aggregate Technical and Commercial losses to 4.46 per cent in FY 2025-26 from 4.7 per cent in the previous year, which positions it among the Discoms with the lowest AT&C losses nationwide, according to a company statement issued on Tuesday.
This significant reduction of 0.24 per cent in AT&C losses across Adani Electricity's extensive network will lower the burden on honest, paying consumers, the statement said.
Adani Electricity conducted 36,720 mass raids during the financial year 2025-2026 and registered 486 First Information Reports (FIRs) against perpetrators of power theft. This intensified vigilance also reflects a 40 per cent increase in odd-timing raids which include early morning, late evening and holidays.
Additionally, 5897 power theft cases were booked. During raids, 79.25 tons of illegal wires were recovered. A total theft of 19.82 million units -- amounting to Rs 43.39 crore -- was assessed, according to the statement.
The important cases include the successful detection and booking of a high-value electricity theft case of Rs 1.63 crore involving direct supply for moulding activity at Swastik Compound, Chincholi Bandar Road, Malad (West) on 7th November 2025, by the company's vigilance team.
Similarly, on 4th July 2025 another high-value electricity theft case of Rs 80 lacs was booked involving direct supply for moulding activity at Motilal Nagar, Goregaon (West).
Besides, a case involving electricity theft to the tune of Rs 48.73 lakh was booked in June involving direct supply for moulding activity at Malad (East).
Stealing electricity is a non-bailable offence. Under Section 135 of the Electricity Act 2003, an offender can be punished with a fine, a jail term of up to three years, or both, once proven guilty.
Adani Electricity actively collaborates with police authorities to conduct regular mass raids, apprehend offenders, and confiscate equipment used for power theft. During FY 2025-26, a significant amount of 79.25 tons of unauthorized wires and other equipment were seized, the statement said.
Power theft in high-demand areas like slum clusters, where new network development is challenging due to space constraints, severely overloads the existing infrastructure.
This strain increases maintenance costs due to more frequent cable and transformer failures.
An Adani Electricity spokesperson said, "Power theft unfairly burdens honest, paying consumers. Adani Electricity is committed to eliminating the menace of power theft. By combating such unlawful activities, we safeguard the interests of our customers. We will intensify our efforts in specific areas to further reduce AT&C losses this year."
"The significant reduction in AT&C losses this year is a direct result of our intensified efforts against power theft. This not only safeguards our infrastructure but also alleviates the financial burden on our honest, paying consumers by enabling us to maintain competitive tariffs," he added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good initiative but 79 tons of illegal wires? That's shocking! Shows how rampant theft is. However, I hope the crackdown doesn't target small households who might be stealing due to poverty. Need a balance between enforcement and providing affordable electricity to all. Just my two paise.
As an expat living in Mumbai, I've seen power theft firsthand in my locality. It's nice to see a company actually doing something about it. Reducing losses from 4.7% to 4.46% may sound small but makes a huge difference for infrastructure. Hope this continues.
₹43.39 crore worth of theft detected in one year is insane! That's money stolen from honest consumers. But I worry—will this lead to higher vigilance charges passed on to us? Adani should ensure savings from reduced theft are actually reflected in tariffs. Otherwise, what's the point? 🤔
Impressive numbers! 486 FIRs and 5,897 cases booked. But I'm curious—how many of these actually resulted in convictions? In India, filing cases is one thing, getting justice is another. Hope the police and courts expedite these.
Great work by Adani! But let's not forget—power theft often happens because legal connections are too expensive for many. Government needs to subsidize electricity for poor households while cracking down on commercial theft. Otherwise, it's just punishing the vulnerable. Still, 0.24% reduction is progress. 💡
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