Temporary Internet Blackout Uncovers 3.2 MW of “Gray” Mining

In Dagestan, energy providers implemented a trial internet shutdown in two villages to detect unusual power usage. Once the connection was cut, load instantly dropped by 3.2 MW, corresponding to roughly 900 mining rigs. According to RIA “Dagestan,” authorities plan tighter oversight in regions where open crypto mining is banned until 2031.

“Dagenergo” representatives note that they now uncover 5 to 7 unauthorized farms weekly. Since early 2025, more than 350 rigs have been seized for bypassing electricity meters. Preliminary estimates suggest illicit mining damage exceeds 24 million rubles and keeps climbing.

Experts emphasize that brief internet outages can swiftly reveal where mining farms are operating. Future raids will likely extend to other districts to ease grid overload and prevent substation failures.