According to the publication «Kommersant», the Ministry of Digital Development and the Federal Antimonopoly Service (FAS) have criticized the proposal of the Ministry of Energy to significantly increase electricity tariffs for mining companies.
The Ministry of Energy’s Controversial Proposal
The Ministry of Energy’s proposal, if implemented, involves raising electricity tariffs for cryptocurrency miners by an average of 5 to 10 times. In response to this, officials from the Ministry of Digital Development and FAS expressed concern that such an increase could inflict serious damage on the cryptocurrency industry and create discriminatory pressure on mining companies.
Potential Negative Impact
According to experts from the Ministry of Digital Development and FAS, the proposed changes could have a negative impact not only on mining companies but also on the critical information infrastructure of the country, including data processing centers. These institutions play an important role in ensuring the stability and security of information technologies, and a significant increase in tariffs could lead to serious disruptions in their operations.
FAS’s Stance
FAS noted that issues related to electricity consumption for mining should be considered only after resolving the issue of energy deficit in the relevant regions. Otherwise, according to FAS, any restrictions on the use of electricity for miners may be unjustified.
The Ministry of Digital Development’s Proposal
In turn, the Ministry of Digital Development warned that the criteria for including electricity consumers in the registry of mining centers remain unclear. This creates the risk that too many organizations that are not actually engaged in cryptocurrency mining may be included in the registry, exacerbating the problem.
The Ministry of Digital Development proposed to create a separate registry for data processing centers, distinguishing them from mining companies. This step will help avoid situations where non-specialized organizations fall under strict regulations, and the Ministry of Energy’s initiative may have a negative impact not only on the mining industry but also on the vital information infrastructure of the state.
