Grow-op power theft jolts rates

- The proliferation of indoor marijuana grow operations in Calgary and across the country is costing utilities more than half a billion dollars in electricity theft every year.

Calgary police say the number of marijuana grow operations busted this year is skyrocketing and investigators say more criminals are bypassing electricity meters and stealing power.

System losses attributed to theft of electricity are ultimately paid for by legitimate customers. In Ontario, where statistics are being tracked, estimates show $50 to $200 a year is added to electricity bills to make up for the theft, says the Ontario-based Electricity Distributors Association.

There are about 362,000 residential, commercial and industrial power customers in Calgary.

Det. Nina Vaughan of the Calgary Police Service drug unit said 61 grow operations have been busted this year with contraband valued at $28.1 million.

Last year, the police service's drug unit seized drugs worth $17 million on the street.

"A lot of them do steal electricity. It's becoming very common," said Vaughan.

She said criminals wire a new electrical box with a jumper cable to bypass the meter, often creating a fire hazard as well.

In the last year, five major fires have been caused by marijuana grow operations or the production of weed oil, police say. In the past two months, three homes have been condemned due to toxic mould.

Tony McCallum, spokesman for Calgary's Enmax, said it's difficult to calculate the amount of electricity being stolen.

"Marijuana grow operations require tremendous amounts of electricity," he said. "It's such a moving target that electricity consumption numbers are almost impossible to come up with."

The Electricity Distributors Association says statistics show grow operators steal an average of $1,500 of electricity per month to run their operations. That represents almost 300 kilowatt-hours per day or 10 times the electricity consumption in an average home.

"In the end, the consumer is unfortunately bearing the brunt of this theft," said association spokesman Pierre Leduc.

Leduc said officials estimate stolen electricity in Ontario amounts to "well over $200 million" each year and the annual national estimate is well over half a billion dollars.

Additional people are needed to combat the problem, says the association, to monitor power usage to determine fluctuations and potential illegal bypasses; to monitor electricity theft; to perform the disconnects and repair cable and other damaged electrical equipment in grow house operations; and to administratively support operations relating to each phase of the investigation process and recovery of lost revenues.