Bitcoin mining infrastructure provider Compute North helped the Nebraska Public Power District’s (NPPD’s) storm restoration efforts on Wednesday by quickly reducing the power usage of a 100 megawatt (MW) data center. Severe weather across the state damaged power lines and affected more than 7,000 NPPD customers.
“Our thoughts are with the families in the impacted regions of Nebraska, and we are glad we are able to do our part to support the repair efforts underway in the state so that power is restored as soon as possible,” Compute North CEO Dave Perrill said in a statement sent to Bitcoin Magazine.
Compute North said it took the company 10 minutes to scale down its operations and provide relief for the stressed NPPD power grid. The company leverages NPPD’s power at its 100 MW Kearney facility and works closely with the power district to ensure efficiency and facilitate curtailment when needed.
“The storm that came through Wednesday was very intense and caused significant damage to the electric system,” said NPPD’s general manager of retail services, Pat Hanrahan, in a statement. “Having customers like Compute North who are willing to assist us during these times is extremely valuable…[and] a great example of the type of collaboration that benefits our grid operations and local community.”
Although bitcoin mining is often criticized for its high energy usage, the industry is uniquely positioned to balance demand and supply of power grids, as ASIC rigs can be turned on or off rather rapidly with the correct infrastructure.
“Compute North’s TIER 0™ data center design creates the ability to throttle power at each facility as required and to dynamically manage power usage,” said Dave Perrill, CEO of Compute North, adding that the technology aids in cost management, renewable energy adoption, and the improvement of grid stability and resiliency.
Compute North provides bitcoin miners with hosting and management solutions for their mining machines. Earlier this month, the company expanded a hosting deal with Marathon Digital Holdings to accommodate 30,000 additional rigs. In October, Compute North partnered with Atlas Mining to add 100 MW to the miners’ U.S. operations.
