Rwanda Energy Group (REG) has recorded 190 cases of electricity infrastructure theft and vandalism over the past three years, resulting in estimated financial losses of Rwf298.98 million.

Geoffrey Zawadi, Director of External Link Department and spokesperson at REG, said the financial losses do not fully capture the impact of the incidents.

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"The non-monetary loss is much bigger than the monetary loss,” he told The New Times.

The theft and vandalism disrupt electricity distribution, causing power outages in different villages and cells. They also affect public facilities, including health centres and traffic surveillance cameras.

Cables, meters among most stolen equipment

Electrical cables and wires are the most frequently targeted infrastructure components, followed by cash power meters, cross arms, distribution boxes and circuit breakers.

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Other targeted equipment includes suspension anchor-clamps, anti-climbing devices and polymer tension insulators.

According to REG, Kicukiro District recorded the highest number of cases in 2026, with 11, followed by Musanze with eight, while Rubavu and Ngororero each recorded six cases. Nyamagabe was also listed among the districts with the highest number of cases.

Recovered cables only useful as scrap

REG said some stolen electrical materials have been recovered through follow-up operations and collaboration with security organs.

However, most recovered cables were found in conditions that made them unsuitable for reuse in electricity distribution networks.

"The recovered cables could only be sold or used as scrap materials,” Zawadi said.

The incidents also force REG to incur unplanned expenditure to replace stolen equipment and repair damaged infrastructure, diverting resources that could otherwise be invested in expanding electricity access and improving service delivery.

REG calls for community involvement

To prevent further theft, REG is strengthening collaboration with security organs, conducting background checks on technicians working on its projects and increasing community awareness.

Zawadi urged citizens to take ownership of electricity infrastructure in their communities and report suspicious activities to relevant authorities.

REG said continued collaboration between the utility, security organs, local authorities and communities is necessary to trace and recover stolen infrastructure.