A Light task force with 400 agents intercepted 223 frauds in Duque de Caxias. The operation aims to mitigate billion-dollar financial losses and stabilize the electrical grid in Baixada Fluminense.
The electrical infrastructure in Baixada Fluminense was the target of a broad inspection operation this Wednesday (14). Utility company Light, together with public security forces, conducted a sweep in the Jardim Vinte e Cinco de Agosto neighborhood in Duque de Caxias to curb electricity theft and ensure the integrity of the distribution network.
The task force, which mobilized 400 professionals, resulted in the identification of 223 clandestine connections. The energy recovered during the operation totals 382 MWh, an amount capable of supplying the monthly consumption of more than 1,200 households, highlighting the massive impact that non-technical losses have on the electricity system in Rio de Janeiro.
The weight of non-technical losses
Irregularities in the electrical grid not only harm Light‘s revenues but also pose a real risk to public safety. Energy theft causes transformer overloads, which frequently result in voltage drops and unexpected supply interruptions for regular consumers.
Financially, the challenge is significant. The company estimates that load diversions cause an annual loss of around R$ 1.3 billion. In a continuous effort to reverse this scenario, the distributor has already regularized more than 179,000 informal connections in the first eight months of 2026 alone, recovering a total volume of 259 GWh.
“Combating energy theft is a permanent front for Light. Through operations like this one, in partnership with security forces, we work to protect the grid and ensure a safer, higher-quality supply for the population.”
Beyond enforcement: focus on the consumer
In addition to repressive actions, the operation in Duque de Caxias also prioritized commercial regularization. Light set up a mobile customer service unit at Praça Humaitá, offering residents the opportunity to negotiate debts and update their records.
The support also included guidance on how to join TSEE (Social Electricity Tariff), a benefit that grants invoice discounts to low-income families. The utility’s strategy seeks to replace informality with formal enrollment, promoting a more sustainable cycle for the maintenance of the power sector.
The future of energy supply in the region depends directly on the success of these integrated operations. With the support of the Civil Police and the Military Police, Light plans to maintain its inspection schedule, focusing on asset recovery and the stabilization of operational loss levels, which are essential for the quality of the public service provided throughout the state of Rio de Janeiro.
