The National Electricity Administration (ANDE) of Paraguay confirmed that illegal Cryptocurrency Mining will continue among its priorities to combat electrical fraud in the country.
In its Master Management and Control Plan for the Reduction of Electrical Losses 2024-2034 was raised The objective is to reduce electrical losses from the current 28% to 15%. This plan includes significant investments in infrastructure and technology to improve the efficiency of the electricity supply and combat energy theft, providing for a investment of USD 359 million between 2025 and 2028. The plan provides for the implementation of fraud and energy theft detection programs, strengthening measurement and billing systems.
According to official data, illegal cryptocurrency mining has been one of the main causes of energy losses in Paraguay. This has led the authorities take action which include up to ten years in prison for people who steal energy from transmission lines or storage ports to mine cryptocurrencies.
Confiscations have not stopped
This Saturday, November 30, the ANDE reported an operation in the department of Itapúa, carried out in conjunction with the Prosecutor’s Office, in which detected and dismantled an irregular connection allegedly used to mine cryptocurrencies.
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The farm was identified after detecting an unusually high load on a 23,000 volt feeder. After approaching the property, an illegal medium voltage shunt was found with instantaneous load readings.
After the operation, 163 mining equipment was seizedof unspecified models. According to the authorities, the property damage linked to electrical theft is estimated at 665 million guaraníes, around USD 85 thousand.
A few days before, also in the department of Itapúa, the ANDE carried out a raid to a mining farm located in the Natalio district for alleged misuse of energy. However, in the procedure, ANDE technicians carried out measurements of electrical energy consumption, finding that it was within the parameters established in the contract.
Despite this, the authorities noted that the farm still did not have registration for the exploitation of energy for cryptocurrency mining, so they gave those responsible 48 hours to regularize its situation.
Throughout 2024, Paraguay has been a difficult jurisdiction for cryptocurrency miners. Beyond the raids, which Bitcoin-energia-hernandarias/” target=”_blank” rel=”noreferrer noopener”>they touch the hundreds, the increase in electricity costs has caused the closure of companies, or their migration to other jurisdictions friendlier like Brazil, as reported by CriptoNoticias.
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