While the whole world is celebrating the release of ChatGPT-6 and tech giants are spending money and electricity at an unprecedented speed in the AI arms race, British Columbia (BC), located on the other side of the Earth, suddenly hit the 'energy brake' hard.
Recently, the government of British Columbia (BC) officially proposed a legislative draft that has shaken the tech circle: on one hand, it plans to impose strict limits on the electricity consumption of the hot AI data centers; on the other hand, it aims to make the previous temporary ban on cryptocurrency mining 'permanent,' completely closing the door.
1. Rooting out: a 'permanent eviction order' for cryptocurrency mining
BC province's attitude towards cryptocurrency mining can be said to have shifted from 'observation' to 'aversion', ultimately leading to 'rupture'.
The story begins in December 2022. At that time, the BC provincial government issued a temporary ban for 18 months, citing immense electricity demand, halting the approval of new cryptocurrency mining projects connecting to the grid. The government's logic is simple: mining is like a greedy 'electric rat' that devours vast amounts of electricity resources, but its contribution to the local economy and employment is minimal. The BC energy minister once bluntly pointed out that the electricity consumed by a mining project could be equivalent to the electricity usage of tens of thousands of households, but this does not bring corresponding job positions and economic value.
During the temporary ban, there were naturally unwilling mining companies attempting to challenge it through legal avenues, such as Conifex Timber, which once filed a lawsuit, but was ultimately rejected by the court, which upheld the government's banning power.
As the temporary ban is about to expire, BC province has not only not relented but has decided to 'intensify'. In May 2024, the provincial legislature passed a key legislative amendment granting the government the power to formulate permanent regulations to restrict or prohibit power supply to mining projects. As of today (October 2025), the direction has become very clear: BC province is moving towards making this ban permanent.
For those speculators dreaming of 'mining wealth' in BC province using its abundant hydroelectric resources, the door has been completely sealed shut.
2. Putting on the 'tightening spell': cooling the energy frenzy of AI
If the approach to cryptocurrencies is 'one-size-fits-all', then BC province's attitude towards AI is more complex and cautious — not completely prohibited, but strictly regulated.
The rise of AI has brought productivity prospects comparable to the Industrial Revolution, but behind it is an equally astonishing energy consumption. The International Energy Agency (IEA) predicts that by 2026, global electricity consumption in data centers, artificial intelligence, and cryptocurrency sectors will double compared to 2022. This exponential growth puts immense pressure on any region's electrical grid.
BC province clearly sees this. They do not want to repeat the mistakes of cryptocurrency and allow AI data centers to consume electricity indiscriminately, thus driving up the electricity costs for all residents and businesses.
Thus, a 'limited supply' scheme has emerged. According to the plan from the provincial power company BC Hydro, starting in early 2026, a total of 300 megawatts of electricity capacity will be allocated to AI data centers through a two-year bidding process. In contrast, the quota for ordinary data centers is 100 megawatts. The most critical point is that there is no cap on electricity use for traditional industries such as mining, natural gas, manufacturing, and forestry.
The bias in this policy is unmistakable. The BC provincial government has clearly stated that priority is given to industries that can create more jobs and fiscal revenue for the province. In the government's view, the job positions and social benefits brought by a large mine or natural gas project are far more tangible than those from a highly automated AI data center.
Interestingly, the current restrictions in BC province mainly focus on total 'quotas' and have not introduced specific energy efficiency standards, unlike China or Singapore, which may require data centers to have a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) value below a specific threshold (for example, 1.3). This perhaps indicates that, in BC province's view, under the premise of limited total energy, 'who can use electricity' is a more urgent issue to address than 'whether the electricity is used efficiently'.
3. Industry tremors and far-reaching effects: a gamble on 'energy realism'
BC province's series of measures will undoubtedly stir up significant waves in the industry.
For the cryptocurrency industry, this basically sentenced it to a 'death penalty' in BC province. BC province has thus joined the ranks of Quebec and Manitoba in Canada, becoming another province that says 'no' to mining. This reflects a general vigilance in North America towards high-energy-consuming mining industries against the backdrop of energy tension.
For the AI industry, the impact is even more subtle. BC province, with its rich clean hydroelectric resources, is an ideal place for developing green AI. However, the 300 megawatt cap may be just a drop in the bucket for tech giants aiming to build large-scale data centers. This 'ceiling' may force them to shift future investments to areas with more abundant power supply and more relaxed policies. The tech industry in BC province itself is an important engine for job growth, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs. Whether this restrictive policy will stifle its future growth potential has sparked considerable controversy.
From a more macro perspective, BC province's decision is a bold practice of 'energy realism'. In an era of global energy transition and surging demand for electrification, no place has unlimited power. When clean energy must meet both people's livelihood needs and support industrial decarbonization, as well as cope with the explosive growth of emerging technologies, making choices becomes inevitable.
BC province has given its answer through action: to prioritize livelihood, protect traditional advantageous industries, and selectively support emerging technologies.
Is this a far-sighted move to protect the local economy and electrical grid safety, or a short-sighted act that misses the future technological wave due to overcaution? It is still too early to draw conclusions. On the road to the future, how much energy cost are we willing to pay? The answer to this question will profoundly affect the global technological and economic landscape for decades to come.
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