Russia and the US are reportedly discussing mining Bitcoin at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, with Ukraine excluded from the negotiations.

Russian President Putin recently stated that Russia and the United States are engaging in exploratory discussions on the joint operation of the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, and Ukraine has not been invited to participate in the negotiations. One widely discussed detail is that the U.S. is allegedly interested in utilizing the plant’s electricity resources for Bitcoin mining. This news has quickly sparked heated debates in the fields of geopolitics and cryptocurrency.

According to Russian media outlet Businessman, Putin disclosed this information during a meeting with business representatives, and mentioned that Moscow and Washington are also exploring the possibility of supplying electricity to Ukraine through the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant. Putin also stated that Ukrainian technicians will continue working at the plant, provided they hold Russian passports. The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is the largest in Europe, and since being controlled by Russian forces in March 2022, its ownership has been a highly contentious issue.

Contrasting with the Russian stance, Ukrainian President Zelensky previously publicly expressed the hope of jointly operating the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant with the United States, emphasizing that this issue is one of the most difficult topics in the U.S.-Ukraine peace plan. The international community, including the International Atomic Energy Agency, has repeatedly reiterated that any decisions made regarding the plant without Ukraine’s involvement lack legitimacy.

Currently, the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant is not supplying power to the grid. All six reactors are in safe shutdown mode, relying solely on emergency diesel generators to maintain cooling systems, with multiple instances of power outage risks. Meanwhile, Ukraine’s overall power grid situation remains severe. Reports indicate that since the escalation of the conflict, Russia has launched over 5,000 missiles and long-range drones targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, causing frequent damage to the power system.

Against this backdrop, the idea of “nuclear power + Bitcoin mining” appears particularly sensitive. Research by private intelligence agency Molfar shows that a small amount of active cryptocurrency mining within Ukraine has added extra pressure on the power system. The agency estimates that miners in three active mining pools may consume approximately 33 kilowatts of electricity per hour, further amplifying concerns about energy security and the relationship with crypto mining.

As of now, the U.S. has not issued any official response regarding discussions with Russia about the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant or Bitcoin mining. However, topics such as “Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant Bitcoin Mining,” “U.S.-Russia Energy Negotiations,” and “Legality of Nuclear Mining” continue to ferment, likely to keep stirring the nerves of international politics and the crypto markets in the near future.