Crypto
Ethiopia Cuts Bitcoin Mining Power by 77% Amid Hydropower Shortages
The Ethiopian Electric Power (EEP) has cut back electricity deliveries to Bitcoin mining operations by 77%, citing hydropower shortages due to drought conditions caused by El Niño.
The reduction brings miner power down to 23% of contracted levels, as lower water inflows strain the country's hydroelectric system.
EEP CEO Ashebir Balcha explained that the utility prioritized households and industrial customers over mining operations due to the hydropower availability fall-off.
The decision highlights how mining supply is vulnerable to hydrology, with miners accounting for 35% of EEP's revenue last fiscal year and consuming nearly one-third of Ethiopia's electricity output.