A man was arrested on suspicion of involvement in a theft that caused an estimated loss of R$ 250 at a solar power plant in the municipality of Dourados (MS). The crime occurred in the early morning of January 8th.
Security cameras installed at the location recorded the criminals' actions, which facilitated the work of the Civil Police. According to the police, the suspects jumped the property's wire fence and, in addition to electrical cables, stole two photovoltaic inverters.
- Man (in the left corner of the image) steals from a solar power plant in Dourados (MS). Photo: PCMS/Disclosure
Cases like this have become increasingly frequent in Brazil, as criminals focus on high-value equipment. The vulnerability is even greater in plants under construction, where fencing, electronic monitoring, and permanent surveillance are not always fully operational.
Yanael Medeiros, energy engineer at CS Consultoria, a company of the Group. Canal Solar, a company specializing in commissioning and technical inspections of photovoltaic plants, explains that this type of crime has been recurring, mainly involving AC side cables.
“This is because AC cable contains pure copper, which has a higher commercial value, while DC cable is made of tinned copper, which has a lower resale value. Therefore, AC cables are more frequently targeted by thieves, especially during the construction phase of power plants,” he points out.
- Yanael Medeiros, energy engineer at CS Consultoria.
How to protect the plant against theft?
Although investing in safety may increase the initial cost of the project, Yanael warns that some measures are essential to reduce risks and avoid even greater losses, especially during the plant's installation process.
"During construction, it is essential to maintain surveillance on site, usually with security guards patrolling the perimeter," she emphasizes. In addition, she also mentions complementary technological solutions, such as loudspeaker systems, motion sensors, and CCTV (Closed-Circuit Television) systems.
"There are also power plants that use radar or perimeter detection systems, capable of sending immediate alerts to a control center, allowing for a quick response and reducing the criminals' reaction time," the professional emphasized.
From copper to inverters: what is stolen from solar plants and how to prevent it?
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