Fall in temperature due to higher power demand means power cuts for miners
Fall in temperature due to higher power demand means power cuts for miners
Large-scale bitcoin mining operations in Texas are back online after plummeting temperatures have led to a spike in electricity usage, leading to power outages, an industry group said on Tuesday.
(Sign up for today’s cache, our technology newsletter, for insights on emerging topics at the intersection of technology, business and policy. Click Here To subscribe for free.)
All the major bitcoin miners who use energy-intensive supercomputers to mine cryptocurrencyThe U.S. halted operations last week as temperatures soared in the Lone Star state and power demand hit an all-time high as residents and businesses turned on their air conditioners.
“The miners are back several days ago,” said Texas Blockchain Council chairman Lee Bracher. “ERCOT is back to a normal operating mode with over 3,000 megawatts (MW) of additional capacity on the grid.”
The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), which operates the grid for more than 26 million customers and accounts for about 90% of the state’s electricity load, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Electricity use in Texas is expected to break records again this week as a lingering heatwave keeps air conditioners cranking.