British Columbia to halt new power connections for crypto miners

A state-owned electrical utility supplier within the Canadian province of British Columbia is about to halt all new electricity-connection requests from cryptocurrency miners for a interval of 18 months. 

The British Columbia authorities made the announcement in an announcement on Dec. 21 stating that the pause will enable the federal government and BC Hydro to develop a everlasting framework that may higher stability the wants of crypto miners and each its residents and companies within the area.

Josie Osborne, Minister of Power, Mines and Low Carbon Innovation stated that the transfer was made to protect the clear vitality it gives for its residents and companies that create jobs and are extra environmentally pleasant.

“Cryptocurrency mining consumes large quantities of electrical energy to run and funky banks of high-powered computer systems 24/7/365, whereas creating only a few jobs within the native financial system.”

In the intervening time, BC Hydro gives service to seven crypto-mining operations. Six extra are within the superior phases of connection to the system, totaling 273 megawatts — these are usually not anticipated to be impacted.

Nevertheless, new cryptocurrency mining initiatives will be unable to provoke the method of reference to BC Hydro, and initiatives on the early phases of the connection course of will even be halted, it stated, including that there are 21 cryptocurrency mining initiatives which might be presently requesting a complete of 1,403 megawatts of electrical energy.

The Ministry famous that that is equal to the vitality wanted to energy roughly 570,000 houses or 2.1 million electrical autos per yr within the province.

Associated: BTC vitality use jumps 41% in 12 months, growing regulatory threat

The British Columbia hydro and energy authority launched a report in Dec. 2022 titled Crypto conundrum, the place it warned that an “unprecedented stage” of requests for cryptocurrency mining operations might doubtlessly pressure the accessible vitality provide and result in greater electrical energy charges for residents of B.C. It famous:

“BC Hydro’s accessible vitality might be challenged by cryptocurrency mining operations, which might imply much less vitality for greener pursuits akin to electrification or hydrogen manufacturing, and better electrical energy charges for British Columbians.”

Statista reported that in early 2022, Bitcoin’s annualized electrical energy consumption reached a document excessive, estimated to be greater than Finland’s complete energy consumption, at an estimated “204.5 TWh per yr.”

New York just lately imposed a moratorium on proof-of-work (PoW) mining, turning into the primary US state to take action, prohibiting any new mining operations that aren’t primarily based on 100% renewable vitality.