(December 21, 2024) - Georgia's breakaway region of Abkhazia is facing a "humanitarian disaster" due to severe power shortages, a situation that is worsening as Moscow has failed to respond to requests for assistance from Abkhazia's leadership, Reuters reported.
Power shortages, a common problem in Abkhazia during winter, were reported in early December as low water levels at the Enguri hydroelectric dam led to an emergency shutdown. Abkhazia's state power company, Chernomorenergo, had to cut power supplies to less than three hours a day.
Another notable development was the assassination of an Abkhazian lawmaker by another lawmaker just outside the parliament in the capital Sukhumi. The incident occurred as lawmakers were preparing to debate a bill banning cryptocurrency mining. Coin mining, especially altcoins, has put a huge strain on Abkhazia’s power grid due to its huge energy demands.
This power shortage not only affects daily life but also threatens the health and education systems in Abkhazia. According to the region's "self-proclaimed president", Badra Gunba, a power outage from 9 to 11 hours a day could be a "death sentence" for these important systems.
Coin and altcoin mining is still a hot topic, not only in Abkhazia but also globally, in the context of the rapidly growing crypto market. However, the energy consumption of this activity is causing major resource challenges.
The crisis in Abkhazia is small but serves as a reminder of the impact of the crypto market on energy globally. Efforts to find sustainable solutions for cryptocurrency mining are becoming an urgent need to avoid negative consequences for other regions.
Source: Reuters.
