A major transmission line’s disconnection left millions in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan without power or water. Kazakhstan stated it will have the electricity supply of crypto miners shut off to conserve power supply.
According to a memo obtained from Kazakhstan Electricity Grid Operating Company (KEGOC) dated Jan. 21, “the scheduled supply of electricity to those engaged in digital mining is fully cancelled” from Jan. 24 to midnight Jan. 31.
Kazakhstan’s electrical grid has been unable to fulfil demand, particularly during the winter months. If the energy situation improves, KEGOC said it will consider reversing the restrictions.
Bekhzan Mukatov, KEGOC’s Managing Director for System Services and NES Development, signed the letter, which was issued to 196 power generation, transmission, and trading businesses.
A key transmission line was cut on Tuesday when a “serious emergency imbalance” in the Central Asian power system caused a power spike in Kazakhstan’s North-East-South 500-kilovolt (kV) power transmission line, according to KEGOC.
According to Reuters, major cities in Kazakhstan, as well as neighbouring Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan, had power disruptions on the same day.
According to data from the University of Cambridge Center of Alternative Finance, Kazakhstan was home to around one-fifth of the world’s bitcoin mining by the end of August 2021. During the present power outage, however, local miners have been subjected to electrical rationing.
Some miners are eager to expand their companies outside of the United States, especially now that the government has proposed a 100-megawatt energy cap for all new crypto mining.