Power plants in Iran have been allowed to work with Bitcoin mining centers and other cryptocurrencies provided they hold a licence and ‘comply with established tariffs’. This was stated by Mostafa Rajabi Mashhadi, deputy managing director of the national energy holding company Tavanir.
According to IRNA, which Cointelegraph cites, the use of subsidised electricity for such activity is prohibited.
“Energy supplies have become of immense importance for society. We will not allow Bitcoin mining to use tariffs designed for agriculture and industry,” said the official.
In November the government banned cryptocurrency mining outside the national grid during peak hours. At the same time authorities introduced a reward system for identifying miners using subsidised electricity. Mashhadi reminded that authorities are prepared to pay 10 million rials ($237.50) for information about illegal mining.
In the interview the official mentioned receiving applications for cryptocurrency mining from 14 organisations with a total installed capacity of more than 300 MW of electricity — equivalent to the consumption of three provinces of the country.
As of the end of January, Iran’s Ministry of Industry, Mines and Trade had issued more than a thousand licences for cryptocurrency mining. The figure came six months after authorities recognised mining as an industrial activity.
In July the authorities required cryptocurrency miners operating in the country to register within a month, disclosing their identity, type and quantity of installed equipment.
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