TechFlow reported that Iran is facing a power shortage caused by a severe heat wave, and the national power company Tavanir has taken action. Tavanir CEO Mostafa Rajabi Mashhadi announced that a reward of 1 million Tomans (about $24) will be offered to individuals who report unauthorized cryptocurrency mining equipment.
Mashhadi said some speculators used subsidized electricity and public networks to illegally mine, causing an abnormal surge in electricity consumption and seriously disrupting the national grid.
According to Mashhadi, 230,000 illegal cryptocurrency mining devices have been found, consuming up to 900 megawatts of electricity, equivalent to the electricity consumption of a province of 1.4 million people. Temperatures have soared to 45 degrees Celsius in some parts of Iran, exacerbating the pressure on the power grid. Iranian authorities frequently announce the discovery of illegal cryptocurrency mining activities, and many operations are carried out in schools and mosques that receive free or subsidized electricity.