Mohammad Allahdad, CEO of Tavanir Company, discussed the status of illegal cryptocurrency mining in the country and announced that more than 300,000 illegal miners are currently active, with a total electricity consumption of 1,500 megawatts. This amount of electricity consumption is equivalent to the production capacity of two large power plants.
Challenges of Illegal Cryptocurrency Mining
Allahdad emphasized that cryptocurrency mining is not prohibited in itself, but most illegal farms use unauthorized electricity sources. He added that over 95% of the discoveries of illegal farms are made through unauthorized electricity, and some also exploit subsidized tariffs from agricultural and industrial sectors.
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The CEO of Tavanir noted that using subsidized electricity allocated for food production and public supplies for illegal cryptocurrency mining is prohibited and puts additional pressure on the country's electricity network. This issue not only affects the electricity supply to other sectors but also poses serious risks to healthcare and security sectors.
New Policies to Control Illegal Mining
Mohammad Allahdad referred to new policies to control illegal mining. According to a directive from the Ministry of Energy, starting from September 4, any location where a miner is discovered will be deprived of subsidized electricity for one year. For example, the electricity tariff for an agricultural unit is about 21 tomans per kilowatt-hour, but after the discovery of a miner, subscribers must consume electricity at the free tariff, which is about 5,000 to 6,000 tomans per kilowatt-hour.
Additionally, the new plan includes financial penalties and imprisonment for individuals engaged in illegal cryptocurrency mining. Allahdad stated that the imprisonment duration for these individuals is anticipated to be six months or more.
Methods for Identifying Illegal Miners
Allahdad mentioned three main methods for identifying illegal miners. First, data mining from smart meter information helps identify unusual consumption during nighttime hours. The second method involves load control and examining consumption behavior at substations and upstream feeders to identify unusual activities in industries. Public reports serve as the third and most important method of identification, playing a crucial role in discoveries.
The CEO of Tavanir also mentioned a reward of 37 billion tomans for reporting illegal miners and added that the Tavanir public reporting system has been active for two years, allowing citizens to receive rewards for reporting suspicious cases.
Safety Warnings and Fire Hazards
Allahdad warned about the safety hazards posed by miners' activities, stating that mining devices generate high heat and that more than 35 cases of fires related to these devices have been recorded so far. He emphasized that in some cases, increased consumption and heat from miners can lead to fires, increasing the necessity for citizens to pay attention to unusual electricity consumption.
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