At the RBC Tech-2024 forum, Russian Deputy Energy Minister Yevgeny Grabchak announced that the authorities plan to limit the mining of cryptocurrencies in a number of regions of the country. This solution will help prevent potential problems with the development of artificial intelligence and digitalization technologies that may arise due to a lack of electricity.

"If we say that mining is the forerunner of digitalization, then mining will be banned at the state level in some regions in the near future. Any. For example, we already have deficit zones with you — this is the Far East, this is the south-west of Siberia, this is the South. We cannot give large capacities to anyone there in the long term until 2030," the official said.

Grabchak also noted that the restrictions will affect any cryptocurrency mining activity, including participation in mining pools.

The laws "On CFA and Digital Currency" and "On Electric Power Industry" provide for the authority for the government to impose restrictions on mining in certain regions and territories. The Cabinet of Ministers will be able to set the conditions and procedure for the introduction of such bans.

Earlier, experts and representatives of the energy sector proposed alternatives to a complete ban, such as the introduction of differentiated electricity tariffs. The option of temporarily disconnecting miners from the power grid for 500 hours per year was also considered.