Texas welcomed bitcoin miners, but now questions energy and transparency impacts

Texas invited bitcoin miners to the state, hoping they would stabilize the failing power grid. But residents now complain the mines are driving up energy prices and reducing quality of life.

Politicians and agencies want more data on the mining industry's energy usage and impact, but miners have pushed back on providing transparency.

Critics argue miners put more strain on the already unstable grid and amount to an energy arbitrage scheme that double-subsidizes their operations.

Supporters claim miners help grid reliability by filling demand troughs and shaving peaks, but there is little hard data available to validate these arguments.

Miners dropped a lawsuit against a federal survey of energy use after the government agreed to destroy the data, but more legislative and regulatory battles are likely ahead.