Power plants in Iran have been allowed to work with Bitcoin mining centers and other cryptocurrencies provided they hold a licence and ‘comply with established tariffs’. This was stated by Mostafa Rajabi Mashhadi, deputy managing director of the national energy holding company Tavanir.<\/p>\n
According to IRNA, which Cointelegraph cites, the use of subsidised electricity for such activity is prohibited.<\/p>\n
\n\u201cEnergy supplies have become of immense importance for society. We will not allow Bitcoin mining to use tariffs designed for agriculture and industry,\u201d said the official.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
In November the government banned cryptocurrency mining outside the national grid during peak hours. At the same time authorities introduced a reward system for identifying miners using subsidised electricity. Mashhadi reminded that authorities are prepared to pay 10 million rials ($237.50) for information about illegal mining.<\/p>\n
In the interview the official mentioned receiving applications for cryptocurrency mining from 14 organisations with a total installed capacity of more than 300 MW of electricity \u2014 equivalent to the consumption of three provinces of the country.<\/p>\n
As of the end of January, Iran’s Ministry of Industry, Mines and Trade had issued more than a thousand licences for cryptocurrency mining. The figure came six months after authorities recognised mining as an industrial activity.<\/p>\n
In July the authorities required cryptocurrency miners operating in the country to register within a month, disclosing their identity, type and quantity of installed equipment.<\/p>\n