TechFlow news: Iran is facing severe power shortages due to a heatwave, prompting action from the national power company Tavanir. Mostafa Rajabi Mashhadi, CEO of Tavanir, announced a reward of one million tomans (approximately $24) for individuals who report unauthorized cryptocurrency mining equipment.
Mashhadi stated that some speculators are illegally mining cryptocurrencies using subsidized electricity and public networks, causing abnormal spikes in power consumption and severely disrupting the national grid.
According to Mashhadi, 230,000 illegal cryptocurrency mining devices have already been discovered, consuming up to 900 megawatts of electricity—equivalent to the power usage of a province with 1.4 million people. Temperatures in parts of Iran have soared to 45 degrees Celsius, further straining the power grid. Iranian authorities frequently announce the discovery of illegal cryptocurrency mining operations, many of which take place in schools and mosques where electricity is provided free of charge or at subsidized rates.
