Pakistan Harnesses 2,000 MW Surplus for Bitcoin & AI
Pakistan allocates 2,000 MW surplus power to Bitcoin mining and AI data centers to boost tech, curb waste, and attract investment.
- Pakistan taps idle 2,000 MW from underused power plants.
- Initiative supports Bitcoin mining & AI centers.
- Aims to cut energy waste, boost jobs & foreign investment.
Pakistan has launched a pioneering project to repurpose 2,000 MW of surplus electricity—primarily from coal plants running at just 15 % capacity—toward Bitcoin mining farms and AI data centers finance.yahoo.com+12coindesk.com+12theelectricityhub.com+12. Instead of letting this energy sit unused, the government is transforming it into a strategic asset, aiming to generate tech jobs, stabilize the grid, and draw in foreign capital.
Building a Digital Economy Engine
The plan is being steered by the Pakistan Crypto Council (PCC), a government-backed entity chaired by Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb and led by CEO Bilal Bin Saqib coindesk.com+10reuters.com+10arabnews.com+10. The PCC is also working on a regulatory framework, including a national Bitcoin wallet and a Digital Assets Authority en.wikipedia.org+3coingeek.com+3bitcoinist.com+3. Tax incentives and duty exemptions on mining equipment further sweeten the deal for international investors arabnews.com+4bitdegree.org+4coingeek.com+4.
Risks and Rewards on the Horizon
Rewards:
- Monetizing surplus: Idle plant capacity carries capacity-pay costs; mining could convert that into revenue theelectricityhub.com+4cointelegraph.com+4arabnews.com+4.
- Tech jobs & investment: Thousands of jobs, FDI inflows, and tech ecosystem development are expected bitdegree.org+8theelectricityhub.com+8arabnews.com+8.
Challenges:
- Environmental concerns: Powering mining with coal may raise emissions and environmental questions cointelegraph.com+1timesofindia.indiatimes.com+1.
- Grid stability: There are worries that reallocating power to mining and AI could strain residential supply arabnews.com+10cointelegraph.com+10reuters.com+10.
- IMF scrutiny: Pakistan’s IMF-backed loan program may object to subsidized energy for mining arabnews.com+6cointelegraph.com+6timesofindia.indiatimes.com+6.
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