Amid High Energy Demand From Miners, Russia Mulls Building New Power Plants in Siberia

Growing electricity consumption in the crypto mining sector may require the construction of new power generation facilities in Siberia, the energy minister of Russia has acknowledged. Demand continues to increase in residential areas as well, after regional authorities abandoned a proposal…

Russian Arrested for Defrauding Buyers of Mining Hardware Worth Over $300,000

Police in the southern Russian city of Astrakhan have detained a man accused of defrauding people who wanted to purchase crypto miners. Law enforcement officials say the suspect made millions of rubles through fictitious sales of mining devices to Russian citizens…

Electricity Consumption of Russian Crypto Miners Spikes 20 Times in 5 Years, Research Finds

Power needs of cryptocurrency miners in Russia have grown significantly since 2017, with consumption of electrical energy seeing a 20-fold increase over the five-year period. In 2021, the minting of the coin with the largest market cap, bitcoin, required 1.25 gigawatts…

Crypto Mining Farm Uncovered in Russia’s Oldest Prison

Russian law enforcement officials are investigating a crypto mining operation at Butyrka, Russia’s oldest prison. A deputy warden has been accused of stealing electricity to mint digital coins with the help of unidentified accomplices. Deputy Warden Suspected of Mining Cryptocurrency in…

Russia’s Anti-Monopoly Agency Proposes Higher Electricity Rates for Home Crypto Miners

The anti-monopoly service of Russia has suggested that Russians minting digital currencies at their homes should pay more for the spent electrical energy. The proposal comes after the submission of a bill tailored to regulate cryptocurrency mining to the Russian parliament….

Electricity Consumption Spikes in Irkutsk as More Russians Start Mining Cryptocurrency

Electricity suppliers in the Russian region of Irkutsk have registered a surge in power consumption in residential areas which they are blaming on cryptocurrency mining. Planes with mining equipment from restricted China continue to land in the region, and cases of…

Power Outages in Russia’s Irkutsk Region Blamed on Home Miners

Russians mining cryptocurrency in their homes have been blamed for the problems with the electricity supply in Irkutsk. Power outages have become a frequent occurrence in the region which maintains the lowest electricity rates in Russia. Subsidized household energy has turned…

Russian Government Allows Regions to Raise Electricity Rates for Crypto Miners

The federal government in Moscow has permitted regions to determine local electricity tariffs for the population, a measure that will affect crypto mining at homes. Subsidized household electricity in Russia is often used to mint digital currencies in basements and garages….