It turns out that equipment was brought into the prison and illegal virtual currency mining was being carried out

Since cryptocurrency mining consumes a large amount of electricity, miners try to build mining facilities in areas where electricity prices are low, but in some cases, stolen electricity is used for mining. It turned out that cryptocurrency mining was being carried out by the equipment brought in without permission in the

https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/5357906

Illegal crypto mining uncovered in Russian prison
https://www.exodus.com/news/crypto-mining-in-russian-prison/

Butilka Prison is the oldest prison in Russia, which is said to have been opened in 1771, and the overcrowding of prisoners and poor hygiene are regarded as problems. Kommersant , an independent daily newspaper in Russia, reports that mining equipment was brought to such Butilka prison without permission, and virtual currency was mined without permission using the prison's electricity.

It is said that it was the deputy director of Butilka Prison and one collaborator who brought in the mining equipment, and the equipment was located in the psychiatric branch of the federal prison inside the prison. From November 2021 to February 2022, this mining facility will consume 8379.45kW (kilowatt) of electricity, and the cost will be 62,175 rubles (about 139,000 yen).

The investigative commission is investigating the deputy director on suspicion that he 'clearly engaged in actions beyond his authority and thereby significantly violated the legally protected interests of society or the state.' ..

In Russia, President Putin supports virtual currency, so virtual currency mining itself is not regulated, but virtual currency mining companies need to pay higher electricity charges than residential electricity. .. However, due to the influx of mining companies due to cryptocurrency transactions and illegal mining in China and the increase in illegal mining companies using residential electricity , electricity consumption is rapidly increasing, especially in Siberia .

Increasing power consumption due to cryptocurrency mining is causing problems in each country, power shortages are becoming more serious in Kazakhstan, one of the world's leading mining bases, and Iran has been mining domestically for several months to avoid power outages. We have taken steps to ban it. In January 2022, the Minister of Economy and Energy announced that Kosovo would ban cryptocurrency mining in Kosovo, which faced a power shortage due to the European energy crisis.

Kosovo, facing a power shortage, banned cryptocurrency mining, and pointed out that 'there is no legal basis and the method is unknown' --GIGAZINE