BitCluster, a Russian provider of Bitcoin mining solutions, has revealed plans to construct a 120-megawatt (MW) data facility in Ethiopia, as stated on the company's official website.

In a press release, the company announced that its new 30,000-square-meter facility will be located in Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia, in the Kilinto high-voltage substation.

From the Arctic to Africa 🌍

Introducing the new data center BWP in Ethiopia ⚡️

BitCluster launches a 120 MW data center in Ethiopia. The facility is located in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, on the territory of the Kilinto high-voltage substation. The commissioning of… pic.twitter.com/XgbL1RjTKV

— BitCluster (@bit_cluster) December 21, 2023

According to BitCluster, the authorization of the building will kickstart in January 2024 and transformers are already being connected. Also, it was noted that the engineering and technical requirements of the new facility meet those of most tech-mining centers. 

“100% of the data center’s electricity comes from renewable energy sources, specifically from the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, the largest hydropower project in Africa, with a capacity of 5.15 GW,” it was stated. 

BitCluster highlighted that the project's magnitude enables it to function as a comprehensive service center, leading to cost and time savings for internal repairs of malfunctioning devices. This, in turn, enhances the efficiency of the mining process.

“Ethiopia, with its hydropower potential, will undoubtedly become a new place of attraction for global mining,” co-founder of BitCluster Sergey Arestov expected.

Russia's journey to being a digitalized entity

Earlier in August, Russia experimented with digital currencies by launching the digitalized ruble. 

As Moscow is increasing efforts to circumvent the Western-dominated global financial system amid the historic sanctions that targeted the country since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, a law to instate the digital ruble was legislated, and a few weeks after, a trial was launched. 

"On August 15, the tests of operations with real digital rubles began," Russia's central bank told AFP.

The first trial involved 13 banks nationwide and 600 people who would be able to process payments at 30 points of sale across 11 Russian cities.

"Operations will be free for citizens and with a minimal commission for businesses" in the long run, the central bank said, noting that the digital currency is expected to be available to all Russians willing to use it "by 2025 to 2027".

Russia's second-largest bank, VTB, announced that it has successfully carried out digital ruble transactions through its mobile app.

According to monetary experts, Russia became the 21st country to test this technology.

Read more: Russia, Iran explore launching joint gold-backed cryptocurrency