Russia has claimed that U.S.-linked entities expressed interest in using Europe’s largest nuclear power plant to mine Bitcoin. The allegation, made by officials close to Russia’s energy ministry, highlights how the global crypto mining race continues to intersect with major power grids and strategic facilities.
Russia Unveils Claims Surrounding Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant
The Russian state media said that bids from American IT companies sought to use surplus capacity at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in southeast Ukraine for massive Bitcoin mining operations. Russia claims that the initiative demonstrates the West’s intent to “convert critical infrastructure into profit centers.” This frames the concept as an effort to use the region’s idle energy generation for computing.
The Zaporizhzhia complex has been under Russian military control since early 2022 and has remained a conflict hotspot. Stricter safety standards apply to only a limited number of its six reactors, which can produce up to 6,000 megawatts at full power.
Current Russian officials claim that U.S.-affiliated intermediaries provided technical blueprints to the local government to install mining equipment. This would be capable of generating hundreds of megawatts, equivalent to some of the world’s largest cryptocurrency farms.
International and Industry Reactions
Washington has not yet addressed the charge or offered any proof to support it. Energy experts believe the claim is acceptable given that Bitcoin’s hashrate is at an all-time high. Nations are also reconsidering how to combine energy usage with the rise of digital currency.
Furthermore, experts note that any mining operation within a nuclear plant would create major environmental, legal, and technological challenges, even in a peaceful context.
The report could be part of a larger story connecting geopolitical power to Bitcoin mining. A number of Central Asian nations, including Russia and Iran, already mine digital currencies using excess electricity, often presenting the activity as a means of avoiding international sanctions or making money from idle capacity.
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