Foundry USA cut its hashrate by about 60% since Friday as winter storm Fern hit large parts of the United States, according to TheMinerMag.
The report said the Foundry USA hashrate drop equaled nearly 200 exahashes per second (EH/s).
“Bitcoin hashrate on Foundry USA alone is down by nearly 200 exahashes per second (EH/s), or 60%, since Friday amid continued curtailment. Temporary block production has slowed down to 12 minutes,”
TheMinerMag reported.
The disruption arrived as power outages spread. The Weather Channel reported more than 1 million residents without electricity during the storm.
Foundry USA Hashrate Down Nearly 200 EH/s, Block Production Slows
TheMinerMag linked the hashrate curtailment to miners reducing energy use during the storm.
As a result, block production slowed for a period. TheMinerMag said temporary block times moved to about 12 minutes.
The Bitcoin network hashrate tracks total computing power used to secure Bitcoin’s proof of work system.
When major miners curb activity, the Bitcoin network hashrate can fall. Then blocks can arrive more slowly until difficulty adjusts.
Foundry USA still held about 198 EH/s of hashing power after the cut, data from Hashrate Index showed.
That figure equaled about 23% of global mining pool hashrate in the dataset.
Winter Storm Fern Spans 1,800 Miles, Power Outages Pass 1 Million
Winter storm Fern brought snow, ice, and freezing rain, according to radar forecasts cited by The Weather Channel.
The coverage included the Southeastern US, the Northeast, and parts of the Midwest.
The Weather Channel also reported the storm could extend about 1,800 miles. It said widespread power outages affected more than 1 million residents.
Those conditions can trigger emergency grid responses. As temperatures drop, heating demand rises. Meanwhile, ice and wind can damage lines and equipment.
Stay ahead in the crypto world – follow us on X for the latest updates, insights, and trends!🚀
Bitcoin Mining Pool Curtailment Helps Ease Electrical Grid Stress
TheMinerMag said US linked mining pools curtailed activity to reduce stress on electrical grid infrastructure.
This approach treats mining as a load that can change quickly. It can scale down when households and critical services need power.
Bitcoin miners can also act as a controllable load during low demand periods. Too much energy in a grid can damage infrastructure.
Operators must dump excess power to protect equipment and people.
Mining sites can absorb that surplus by running machines. Then, during peak demand, they can shut machines down. In this storm, the focus stayed on shutdowns and reduced load.
Luxor Mining Pool Also Curtails as US Hashrate Falls
TheMinerMag said the curtailment also affected other pools that serve US users, including Luxor. That report tied the pullback to winter storm Fern and ongoing grid constraints.
Mining pools combine computing power from many operators. Therefore, changes at large pools can move network level metrics quickly. Foundry USA’s share makes its curtailment stand out.
In the Cointelegraph snapshot, Bitcoin (BTC) showed a price near $87,784.
At the same time, the main signal came from the Foundry USA hashrate cut and the slower block production reported during the storm.
Disclosure:This article does not contain investment advice or recommendations. Every investment and trading move involves risk, and readers should conduct their own research when making a decision.
Kriptoworld.com accepts no liability for any errors in the articles or for any financial loss resulting from incorrect information.
Tatevik Avetisyan is an editor at Kriptoworld who covers emerging crypto trends, blockchain innovation, and altcoin developments. She is passionate about breaking down complex stories for a global audience and making digital finance more accessible.
📅 Published: January 26, 2026 • 🕓 Last updated: January 26, 2026
