Why Norilsk became the place for the creation of the most “northern” data center in the world – BitCluster Nord

The Arctic Circle is a territory that not only fascinates with its uniqueness, but also has a very harsh climate and specific conditions. However, cold is just what is needed for the comfortable existence of data centers and mining farms. Today we will tell you more about the factors due to which the Taimyr Peninsula in the Norilsk industrial region was chosen for BitCluster Nord.

Climate

Mining equipment can get very hot during operation. Most modern devices are excellent at handling temperatures between 75°C and 79°C. But imagine if it gets hot outside too? Then the ASIC miners will fail much earlier than expected, which will lead to economic losses. On the other hand, cool temperatures, extend the life of the devices. And at the same time, there is no need to pay extra for cooling – it is simply created by nature. Long cold winters are typical for Taimyr. The temperature can stay at -62°C, and even in the short summer season there is no heat. There are often strong winds and a blizzard that lasts for weeks. Based on these conditions, the materials used in construction have a high level of frost protection and are specially prepared for work at low temperatures.

Electricity cost

The most important metric for efficient mining is the electricity price. In this region, it‘s one of the lowest in the country, but at the same time, electricity is very stable and reliable. BitCluster executed the agreement with the Norilsk-Taimyr Energy Company.

No need to turn off devices to get a favorable tariff.

There is no difference in the price of electricity during peak hours, which allows the devices to operate smoothly and efficiently. This is an incredibly important factor because the more often devices are turned off, the faster they fail, as the result, you get financial loss and lack of profit Due to these factors, a place for future development was chosen – the northernmost mainland part of the Eurasian continent. At the moment, a high-voltage power line has been laid from the substation to the future facility. Modular data centers are already installed, as is the transformer substation. The start of data center exploiting will take place in several stages. The first stage of 11.2 MW electric power capacity will open very soon.