World News for Students of English

17-09-2025 07:00

Ethiopia has lifted a ban on Bitcoin mining, using surplus electricity from its new Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, the largest in Africa.

Mining is an energy-intensive process, but the country currently produces more power than its grid can distribute. Until more households are connected, Bitcoin companies are allowed to use this extra energy. Fees from miners, around 220 million dollars in the last year, are intended to help expand the national grid. The government still aims for universal access to electricity by 2030, though this target looks difficult to achieve.

Mining in Ethiopia is very profitable. Producing one Bitcoin costs about 20,000 dollars, mainly due to electricity, while it sells for more than 100,000. Cheap energy makes Ethiopia attractive compared to countries like those in the EU, where costs are much higher. Experts say this is only a temporary measure until domestic demand grows. As Bitcoin gains wider acceptance globally, Ethiopia could become an important hub for crypto mining.

Difficult words: surplus (an extra amount), profitable (generating profit), hub (the main center or important place where many activities happen).

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