From Blackouts to Bitcoin: South Africa’s Power Utility Turns Surplus Electricity Into Crypto Revenue

South Africa’s state-owned power utility Eskom is exploring an unusual strategy to generate new revenue: selling surplus electricity to Bitcoin mining companies. The move marks a dramatic shift for a company long associated with power shortages and rolling blackouts across the country.

Eskom officials say the rise of rooftop solar systems has created periods of excess daytime electricity when demand from homes and businesses drops. Instead of letting that capacity go unused, the utility plans to sell the extra power to energy-intensive industries like Bitcoin mining at discounted rates.

The initiative reflects a broader strategy to reinvent the utility’s business model while addressing declining electricity sales and heavy debt. By targeting sectors such as crypto mining, AI computing, and data centers, Eskom hopes to turn surplus energy into a new source of revenue and stabilize its long-term financial position.

Clever Robot News Desk 13^th March 2025