Several major US Bitcoin mining companies sharply reduced daily production as Winter Storm Fern swept across large parts of the country. The storm placed pressure on regional power grids and prompting energy-intensive operators to curtail load.
The winter storm forced grid operators to prioritise residential and critical infrastructure demand.
In response, Bitcoin miners participating in demand-response programmes temporarily scaled back operations, according to on-chain production data.
Bitcoin mining rate declines
Figures compiled from CryptoQuant show a marked decline in daily bitcoin output across several publicly listed miners.Â
CleanSpark’s production fell from roughly 22 bitcoin per day to around 12. Riot Platforms saw output drop from about 16 bitcoin to just 3.
Marathon Digital recorded a sharper swing, from approximately 45 bitcoin to 7, while Iris Energy declined from around 18 to 6.
The reductions were abrupt and broadly synchronised, suggesting deliberate curtailments rather than operational failures or changes in mining economics.Â
US-based miners, particularly those operating in deregulated power markets such as Texas, commonly agree to reduce electricity consumption during periods of grid stress in exchange for financial incentives or longer-term power cost advantages.
Bitcoin hashrate data confirms temporary curtailment
An analysis of network-level data supports this interpretation.Â
Bitcoin’s hashrate dipped noticeably during the same period as the production declines before beginning to recover. This indicates that multiple miners simultaneously reduced their activity.Â
Source: CryptoQuant
CryptoQuant data showed that the hashrate fell from over 1 trillion to around 760 billion, as of this writing.
While daily hashrate figures are inherently volatile, the timing and short duration of the decline closely align with the peak of the winter storm and the associated grid disruptions.
What this means for Bitcoin
Short-term hashrate fluctuations during extreme weather events are consistent with Bitcoin’s operating history and protocol design.Â
The network’s difficulty adjustment mechanism is designed to accommodate temporary changes in mining power, recalibrating over time to maintain stable block intervals.
In this instance, the data suggests that Bitcoin’s security and functionality were not materially affected.Â
Miners curtailed operations to support grid stability during Winter Storm Fern, then began restoring capacity as conditions normalised, highlighting the network’s ability to absorb short-lived external shocks.
Final Thoughts
- The recent drop in miner production reflects weather-driven grid curtailments during Winter Storm Fern, not structural weakness in Bitcoin mining.
- Network hashrate data shows the Bitcoin protocol absorbed the disruption without lasting impact on security or block production.
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