Punjab's Power Crisis: Transformer Theft Epidemic Costs Utility Over Rs 1,003 Crore
Chandigarh: A decade-long epidemic of power transformer and electrical equipment theft across Punjab has inflicted staggering financial losses exceeding Rs 1,003 crore on the state's power utility while severely disrupting electricity supply to countless consumers in affected regions.
Official Data Reveals Alarming Pattern
Official statistics presented in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha expose a persistent pattern of theft that has continued year after year, draining crores of rupees from the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL). Power Minister Sanjeev Arora, responding to queries from MLA Dr. Sukhwinder Kumar Sukhi, confirmed that transformers and critical electrical components belonging to PSPCL have been systematically stolen from various locations throughout the state.
"These incidents have not only caused heavy financial losses to the power utility but have also led to significant power disruptions, creating immense difficulties for consumers," Minister Arora stated in the legislative assembly.
Decade of Devastating Losses
The comprehensive data reveals that from the fiscal year 2015-16 through 2025-26, Punjab recorded a shocking total of 1,34,313 reported cases of transformer and electrical equipment theft. This systematic pilferage resulted in cumulative financial losses surpassing Rs 1,003 crore for PSPCL.
The crisis began with 6,321 theft incidents in 2015-16, causing approximately Rs 21.67 crore in losses. The situation deteriorated rapidly:
- 2016-17: 6,825 incidents, Rs 24.84 crore losses
- 2017-18: 8,330 incidents, Rs 549.2 crore losses
- 2018-19: 10,900 incidents, Rs 36.17 crore losses
- 2019-20: 11,174 incidents, Rs 37.2 crore losses
- 2020-21: 11,478 incidents, Rs 39.3 crore losses
Escalating Crisis in Recent Years
The problem intensified dramatically in subsequent years, with theft cases reaching alarming new heights:
- 2021-22: 15,083 theft cases recorded, Rs 55.04 crore losses
- 2022-23: 17,919 incidents reported, Rs 62.26 crore losses
- 2023-24: 18,598 theft incidents, Rs 66.11 crore losses
- 2024-25: 19,417 cases, approximately Rs 74.73 crore losses
- 2025-26 (ongoing): 8,268 incidents already recorded, Rs 37.22 crore losses so far
Government's Multi-Pronged Response
The Punjab government informed the legislative assembly that several comprehensive measures have been implemented to combat this rampant theft:
Immediate FIR Registration: Mandatory filing of First Information Reports immediately upon detection of transformer or electrical material theft.
Enhanced Physical Security: Field staff now ensure transformers are securely welded to channel or pole structures, making detachment significantly more difficult for thieves.
Increased Surveillance: Night patrolling and surprise checks by enforcement squads and field staff have been intensified in high-incidence areas.
Police Coordination: PSPCL maintains regular coordination with district police authorities, with officials assisting in inspections of local scrap dealers and recycling units to trace stolen copper coils and oil.
Community Awareness: Awareness campaigns with village panchayats and local residents encourage immediate reporting of suspicious activity near electrical infrastructure to nearest PSPCL offices or police stations.
This comprehensive approach aims to stem the tide of theft that has plagued Punjab's power infrastructure for over a decade, affecting both the financial health of the state utility and the daily lives of electricity consumers across the region.
