Georgia will reportedly install electricity meters across villages and settlements in Mestia as part of a crackdown on illegal crypto mining that officials say is straining the region’s power grid.

Vice Prime Minister Mamuka Mdinaradze said Monday that illegal mining had pushed Mestia’s electricity consumption to 133 million kilowatt-hours in 2025, more than 13 times the level of comparable municipalities, according to local outlet 1tv.

Large-scale illegal mining operations have led to deteriorating energy supply and grid overload, resulting in numerous outages in the region, affecting both residents and tourists, Mdinaradze reportedly said, adding that law enforcement agencies have also been tasked with identifying illegal mining…