Theft of electricity in Russia by gray miners has reached 10 billion rubles a year
Gray miners steal electricity in the Russian Federation for 10 billion rubles a year, Sergey Sasim, director of the Center for Research in the Electric Power Industry at the Institute of Economics and Regulation of Infrastructure Industries of the National Research University Higher School of Economics, told Izvestia. According to him, cryptocurrency mining carried out in violation of the rules leads to a decrease in the revenues of energy companies, an increase in the load on regional power systems, wear and tear on power grids, as well as fires and property damage.
"According to approximate calculations, the total damage from such activities in Russia amounts to about 10 billion rubles annually," the expert said.
Two Izvestia sources in the industry confirm this estimate.
According to the press service of Rosseti, 72 illegal mining farms were identified in 2023-2024 in the regions of the North Caucasus Federal District (the area of responsibility of Rosseti North Caucasus), including 53 in Dagestan, four each in Stavropol Krai and Kabardino-Balkaria, three in North Ossetia, six in Ingushetia and two in Karachay-Cherkessia.
"The total value of electricity stolen in 2024 amounted to 424.82 million rubles, of which 2.26 million were reimbursed," the company said.
Shadow miners, without registering their business, install energy-intensive equipment in residential premises and garages, Izvestia wrote. It creates an excessive load on the energy system and carries potential risks of emergency shutdowns.
Mining is a very energy-intensive sphere, so when many such market participants avalanche into the energy system, the risk of power shortages increases many times, the Ministry of Energy said.
Read more in the exclusive material of Izvestia:
Don't do that: "gray" miners steal electricity worth 10 billion rubles a year
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