Iran shuts down crypto mining to save power to avoid winter blackouts: Bloomberg

In an effort to conserve power to avoid blackouts during the winter season, Iran bans authorized crypto mining centers from operating in the country, Bloomberg cites Iran Grid Management Director Mostafa Rajabi Mashhadi in an interview with state TV. The ban, which will end on March 6, will save 209 megawatts of power for consumption in the household sector, Rajabi Mashhadi said. Additionally, regulators are clamping down on all scales of illegal crypto mining, he added. Recall towards the end of May, Iran halted crypto mining operations on power shortage issues. It appears Iran is not the only country that wants to free up power for the household sector. In mid-November, Swedish Financial Supervisory Authority Director Erik Thedéen and Swedish Environmental Protection Agency Director Björn Risinger said crypto's growing energy usage threatens Sweden's ability to meet obligations under the Paris Climate Agreement, according to a release. Meanwhile, bitcoin (BTC-USD -7.3%) and