Bitcoin miners with secured power gain edge in AI data centre race, experts say

Key points

• Voters backed limits in 40 of the 41 local data centre contests tracked by Ballotpedia, including five complete bans and 12 partial bans
• Listed Bitcoin miners announced more than $70bn in AI and advanced computing contracts in 2025 and early 2026, per CoinShares
• AI-ready data centre infrastructure costs $8m-$15m per megawatt, against $700,000-$1m per megawatt for traditional mining facilities

Bitcoin miners that already hold power contracts could have an edge in building AI data centres after voters in several US communities backed limits on new development, Cointelegraph reports. Local measures appeared on ballots alongside congressional races at the 3 Nov US midterms, and voters favoured restricting development in 40 of the 41 contests tracked by Ballotpedia.

The restrictions include citywide bans, caps on larger facilities, temporary pauses and requirements for public approval. In Grove City, Ohio, residents approved a rule requiring public approval for projects using more than 20 megawatts.

Jamie Brown, CEO of Global Kiwi Labs, said the case for miners to repurpose their electricity contracts and facilities for AI "just got more compelling". Jordan Knecht of Kresus said local zoning and permitting can decide whether a project proceeds at all, while Yuliya Barabash of SBSB Fintech Lawyers noted that AI sites need steadier power than mining operations, which can scale back when prices rise.

Conversion is costly: CoinShares puts AI-ready infrastructure at $8m-$15m per megawatt against $700,000-$1m for mining facilities. With a Democratic-controlled Congress incoming, experts expect scrutiny of who pays for grid upgrades, though Knecht said support for domestic computing capacity remains strong.

What to watch: The incoming Democratic-controlled Congress is expected to examine who pays for the grid upgrades large data centres require.

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