Catenaa, Monday, January 19, 2025 – Crypto miners in Abkhazia are facing accusations of draining emergency Russian power, with concerns that supplies could run out by mid-February.
Abkhazia, a breakaway republic backed by Russia, has relied on a flow of humanitarian electricity from Moscow to cope with ongoing energy shortages.
However, power provider Chernomorenergo warns that current supplies, which began in December, are set to deplete by February 18 unless mining activity subsides.
Timur Dzhindzholiya, head of Chernomorenergo, stated that the region’s “emergency electricity supplies” are insufficient to meet ongoing demand.
As a result, power blackouts have been extended to six hours a day. Crypto mining has flourished in Abkhazia, despite efforts to curb the activity. Local authorities have struggled to control illegal mining farms, with many miners exploiting loopholes to bypass consumption limits.
Abkhazia’s sole hydroelectric power plant has also been affected by low reservoir levels, exacerbating the energy crisis.
The government has been unable to rein in the expanding crypto industry, despite knowing the locations of mining operations. The surge in mining has led to outrage in Russia, where taxpayers bear the cost of the power consumption.
The future of the energy crisis will depend on mining activity and weather conditions, with further strain expected if miners continue at current levels.
