French MPs Float Plan to Mine Bitcoin With Surplus Nuclear Energy

A group of French lawmakers is preparing a draft law that would enable the use of surplus electricity from nuclear power plants to mine bitcoin (BTC), according to recent public statements.

The proposal would install mining hardware at facilities owned by state utility Électricité de France (EDF), according to news outlet Le Monde. The process would take advantage of surplus energy generated by these nuclear power plants.

France is the largest producer of nuclear power in the European Union, according to 2023 data from Eurostat. It accounted for 338,202 gigawatt hours, or more than half the 27-nation bloc’s total output. The heat produced by nuclear fission is used to produce electricity, but more than two-thirds of it is lost, the statistics agency said.

“It’s a secure and extremely profitable solution,” said Aurélien Lopez-Liguori, a member of parliament involved in drafting the bill. The draft is still in the early stages and follows a previously rejected amendment from June that suggested evaluating crypto mining’s contribution to France’s energy mix.

Tapping surplus energy to mine bitcoin isn’t a new concept. In May, Pakistan committed 2,000 megawatts of electricity to mine bitcoin and to power artificial intelligence data centers, taking advantage of coal-fired power plants running at 15% capacity.

Similarly, leading stablecoin issuer Tether is exploring BTC mining using surplus renewable energy from South American agribusiness firm Adecoagro. Tether owns a 70% stake in Adecoagro.