The director of Iran’s state-owned electricity company Tavanir said people who reported illegal mining to energy workers or authorities would receive a reward of 1 million rials ($23.75).

Mostafa Rajabi Mashhadi explained that the abnormally high temperatures have caused a sharp increase in the load on the national power grid. Individuals and companies illegally mining cryptocurrencies are worsening the situation with the supply of electricity to people and businesses.

The financial reward will help motivate concerned citizens to help the state cope with the energy crisis caused by the heat, the civil servant believes.

According to the director of Tavanir, more than 230,000 cryptocurrency mining devices have already been identified that are connected to power grids without permission. The total capacity of these farms exceeds 800 MW. The overwhelming majority of mining equipment is located in educational institutions, mosques and other social facilities, which allows owners to pay low rates for electricity or not pay at all, Mashhadi complained.

Earlier, US Senators Elizabeth Warren and Angus King said that Iranian miners pose a threat to America’s national security.