- Russia may ban crypto mining near Moscow until 2032 as power-grid pressure grows.
- Mining operations in Moscow and nearby regions reached a combined power capacity of 734 megawatts.
- New restrictions show legal mining is narrowing in power-stressed regions.
Russia is moving closer to another major regional restriction on crypto mining, this time near its political and economic center. A government commission on electric power development has recommended banning mining in Moscow, Moscow Oblast, and selected parts of Kursk Oblast until 2032.
The recommendation follows growing concern over electricity demand from data centers and mining-linked infrastructure. Deputy Energy Minister Yevgeny Grabchak said the commission backed the restriction after reviewing pressure on local power networks.
Moscow Grid Strain Pulls Mining Ban Debate to the Capital
According to the local media outlets, the proposed measure is designed to protect local power supply stability. The move would mark a sharp change from the Energy Ministry’s position in April.
At that time, officials said there were no immediate plans to ban crypto mining in Moscow and surrounding areas. They said a formal regional request had not yet been submitted. However, the latest recommendation suggests that grid pressure has become harder to ignore.
Sergei Voropanov, the Moscow Region energy minister, previously pointed to heavy data center demand. Ministry estimates cited in the report showed 65 data centers connected across Moscow and nearby areas. Their combined capacity reached 734 megawatts.
Of that total, 19 data centers were located in the Moscow region. Those facilities accounted for 233 megawatts of connected capacity. That scale has placed crypto mining inside a wider debate over electricity demand, industrial load, and regional grid resilience.
Russia’s Regional Mining Bans Point to a Wider Energy Shift
The proposed capital-area restriction follows several earlier mining bans in power-stressed regions. On March 20, the government imposed a year-round ban in Buryatia and the Trans-Baikal Territory.
That restriction runs from April 1, 2026, to March 15, 2031. On April 7, 2025, authorities also ordered a full ban in southern Irkutsk. Initially, mining was already restricted in parts of Buryatia and Zabaikalsky Krai during peak electricity demand periods.
Similarly, in December 2024, Russia approved wider bans covering Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachay-Cherkessia, North Ossetia, Chechnya, and several occupied Ukrainian regions. Those measures started on January 1, 2025, and are scheduled to last until March 15, 2031.
Legal Crypto Mining Narrows as Grid Limits Tighten
Meanwhile, the new proposal does not signal a blanket rejection of crypto mining. Instead, it shows how legal mining is being narrowed by local energy conditions. Earlier in 2024, the sector consumed about 16 billion kilowatt-hours each year, according to sources.
That equals roughly 1.5% of national electricity use. Nevertheless, registered companies and individual entrepreneurs can legally mine through the Federal Tax Service. Individuals may mine without registration only within a 6,000 kWh monthly electricity limit.
The proposed ban near Moscow, therefore, fits a clearer pattern: mining remains legal, but only where power systems can carry the load.
Related: Russia Expands Crypto Mining Registry Rules With Mandatory IP Address Tracking
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