Georgia targets illegal crypto mining in Mestia crackdown: Report
Georgia plans to install electricity meters across villages and settlements in Mestia to crack down on illegal crypto mining that is overloading the local power grid. Vice Prime Minister Mamuka Mdinaradze said illegal mining drove Mestia’s 2025 electricity use to 133 million kWh, far above the roughly 10 million kWh typical for similar municipalities. He said the excess use caused about 20–25 million lari in damages, or up to $9.4 million a year, and contributed to outages affecting residents and tourists. Law enforcement has been ordered to identify illegal mining sites. Mdinaradze said electricity in Svaneti will remain free up to a set limit for consumers, and the metering plan is aimed at stopping unauthorized mining rather than restricting ordinary users.
