CleanSpark Demonstrates Grid Flexibility, Curtails Hundreds of Megawatts of Bitcoin Mining in Tennessee

CleanSpark Demonstrates Grid Flexibility, Curtails Hundreds of Megawatts of Bitcoin Mining in Tennessee January 7, 2026 As concerns over grid stability and the soaring energy demands of digital infrastructure intensify, the ability of large-scale data center operators to provide flexible power consumption is becoming a critical industry capability. This dynamic was recently demonstrated in a significant demand response event involving cryptocurrency mining firm CleanSpark and a major U.S. utility. CleanSpark reported that it successfully curtailed "hundreds of megawatts" of electricity consumption across its 11 Bitcoin mining facilities in Tennessee. The action was taken at the request of the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), the region's primary utility, during one of the coldest days of the previous year. The company highlighted its rapid response capability, stating it powered down the massive mining load within ten minutes of receiving the TVA's notification. This large-scale curtailment was facilitated by a customized communications system developed by CleanSpark, which allows the TVA to swiftly coordinate the volume and duration of power reduction needed during grid emergencies or periods of extreme demand, such as severe weather. By temporarily reducing its operational load, CleanSpark returned substantial capacity to the grid, aiding in balancing supply and demand, preventing potential blackouts, and alleviating strain on existing infrastructure. Scott Garrison, CleanSpark's chief development officer and executive vice president, emphasized the company's commitment to being a reliable grid partner. "This curtailment demonstrates our continued commitment to being a reliable partner to utilities and the communities in which we operate," Garrison stated. "We take our responsibility seriously to act as good stewards by leveraging our ability to engage in demand response so our local utility partners can keep the lights on when our neighbors need it most." The event underscores a growing trend where energy-intensive digital asset operations are being leveraged for grid stability. CleanSpark, which operates approximately 33 mining sites across several U.S. states, is among several companies exploring this model. The practice, however, is currently more suited to interruptible workloads like cryptocurrency mining than to traditional or AI data centers that require constant uptime. Nevertheless, the industry is evolving, with companies like Nvidia-backed EmeraldAI developing software to enable dynamic energy management for AI computing facilities. For utilities like the TVA, partnerships with flexible load operators are becoming a strategic tool for resource planning. The authority has also engaged with major tech firms, signing a deal with Google in August to enable demand response capabilities at a data center running machine learning workloads in Indiana. As power demands from AI and other advanced computing continue to climb, such flexible consumption agreements are likely to become a more prominent feature of the data center energy landscape. Source: datacenterdynamics