coinculture.com
Bitcoin miners are working with Texan officials to help alleviate the state’s energy grid in anticipation of a heatwave; over 1,000 megawatts worth of power earmarked for Bitcoin mining is being redirected towards retail and commercial use.
Texas Power Grid Rerouted
A heatwave is forcing Bitcoin miners in Texas to shut off.
According to Bloomberg, industrial-scale Bitcoin mining operations have turned off their machines in preparation for a heatwave in Central Texas. As the temperature rises, the demand for air-conditioning often drives up the price of electricity and severely strains the state’s power grid.
According to Texas Blockchain Association President Lee Bratcher, “over 1,000 megawatts worth of Bitcoin mining load” have been turned off to respect calls from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) to conserve energy for the grid.
Bratcher stated that the load represented the quasi-totality of all industrial-scale Bitcoin mining in Texas; he also claimed that the move would allow “over 1% of [the] total grid capacity” to be redirected for retail and commercial use.
ERCOT issued a request on Sunday for Texans and large electric customers to reduce their electricity consumption from 19:00 to 01:00 UTC on Monday. It predicted that overall power demand would exceed 79,000 megawatts, breaking the previous high of 78,206 megawatts set last Friday. Temperatures in Austin had hit 107 degrees Fahrenheit at the time of writing.
Following China’s ban on crypto mining in 2021, the United States became the world’s leading mining hub. Texas, in particular, is becoming increasingly appealing to large mining companies thanks to its low energy costs and pro-crypto regulations. Last November, Argo Blockchain announced plans to invest up to $2 billion in the construction of a mining plant in Texas.