French lawmakers are proposing Bitcoin mining as a solution to optimize the national electricity system and make use of surplus energy.
A group of French parliamentarians has introduced an amendment that could turn the country into a European hub for Bitcoin mining, strategically leveraging its energy production capacity.
The legislative proposal aims to assess how mining could be integrated into the French energy system — the largest in Europe — to optimize the management of electricity produced by nuclear power plants.
The amendment to the law on “National Programming and Regulatory Simplification in the Energy Sector” calls on the government to conduct a thorough evaluation of the potential of Bitcoin mining. The initiative represents a pragmatic approach to addressing the issue of excess energy, a key topic for France’s nuclear industry.
France’s energy system, powered by nuclear for over 70% of its needs, often generates electricity surpluses that require efficient management. The proponents of the proposal see mining as an ideal solution to absorb this excess, transforming a potential waste into an economic resource.
The operational flexibility of mining farms offers a unique competitive advantage: machines can be quickly turned on and off based on production and consumption peaks, dynamically adapting to the needs of the electrical grid. This feature makes them particularly suitable for installation near power plants, even in the most remote areas of the country.
The parliamentary proposal highlights how mining could contribute to the revitalization of abandoned industrial sites, creating new opportunities for economic development under the supervision of public authorities.
Lawmakers emphasize the various benefits of this strategy: reducing negative pricing in wholesale markets, relieving the workload on nuclear plants by avoiding frequent modulation cycles that accelerate equipment wear, and absorbing surplus energy that would otherwise go to waste.
The French Association for the Development of Digital Assets (ADAN) collaborated in drafting the amendment, contributing technical expertise and industrial insight to the project. The organization emphasized how low-carbon Bitcoin mining could help strengthen the resilience of the national electricity grid.
The parliamentary report notes that mining in France could represent “an activity tailored to the constraints of the electrical system, absorbing surplus energy and reducing environmental impact” by using power that would otherwise be lost.
