Using nuclear power to mine Bitcoin! The governor of Leningrad Oblast, Russia, invites miners

On September 21, according to local Russian media reports, the Leningrad region of Russia wants to build an industrial park for cryptocurrency mining (including Bitcoin). The governor of Leningrad Oblast has extended an olive branch to the miners, inviting them to the Sosnovy-Pol region near St. Petersburg to create an industrial-scale mine at the old Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant.

Miners invited to Leningrad region

According to local media reports, Leningrad Oblast Governor Alexander Drozdenko is inviting cryptocurrency miners to set up mining farms in the Leningrad region.

Last week, Drozdenko presented the idea of ​​using the first Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant (LNPP) to build a cryptocurrency mining farm at the Third Annual Forum of Small and Medium Enterprises in Leningrad, on the theme of “Energy Opportunities.” The event was reportedly attended by 600 entrepreneurs and representatives of federal agencies.

The Leningrad region borders Finland to the northwest and Estonia and St. Petersburg to the west. The region's first nuclear power plant (LNPP) was built in 1974 in the town of Sosnovy-Pol. Currently, the region's second nuclear power plant (LNPP-2) is under construction and is adjacent to the first nuclear power plant.

“The second nuclear power plant (LNPP-2) is under construction, and most of the supply from the first plant will be released,” Drozdenko explained, and this site may attract cryptocurrency miners. 47News reported:

"Production sites freed up during the construction of the new nuclear power plant will be made available to new residents as early as 2018."

Cheap energy and special benefits

Governor Drozdenko pointed out that "for Bitcoin production, first of all, a large area to handle mining work and cheap electricity are necessary." It is reported that Drozdenko's office has discussed with Alexey Likhachev, head of the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation, and others on how the Leningrad Nuclear Power Plant can be used for cheap energy.

The Moscow-based Atomium Corporation is Russia's nuclear regulator and is responsible for operating all nuclear assets of the Russian federal government, both civilian and military.

Additionally, Governor Drozdenko said Leningrad could serve as a pioneer in Russia’s cryptocurrency mining industry with the support of small and medium-sized enterprises.

Other attempts to attract miners

Earlier this month, the media reported on a project initiated by the Internet Development Research Institute (IRI) and the Russian Association of Blockchain and Cryptocurrency (RABIK) to subsidize electricity costs for cryptocurrency miners. However, the specific location of this project has not been disclosed. Meanwhile, another region of Russia has also been trying to attract cryptocurrency miners. According to data provided by Google, the Kaliningrad region has become the region with the largest increase in mining keyword searches in the first half of this year.

Additionally, Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Igor Shuvalov recently revealed that the Russian government is discussing the creation of a state-owned cryptocurrency mining center.

What do you think?