CleanSpark has expanded its computing power by 37% thanks to the purchase of 20,000 new Bitmain rigs in the United States. The company spent $43.6 million on the Antminer S19j Pro+ units, enhancing its mining capabilities significantly. This acquisition brings CleanSpark’s total number of miners acquired during the downturn to 46,500 units.
The machines were bought for $32.3 million after applying a 25% discount using coupons, resulting in a cost of around $13.25 per terahash (TH). These advanced Pro+ rigs are 22% more efficient than the previous models and are planned to be delivered in batches between March and May.
CleanSpark is taking advantage of the current lower rig prices to increase its mining capacity as Bitcoin’s price shows signs of recovery. Comparing data from Hashrate Index reveals that the current price per TH of ASICs with the same efficiency for Bitcoin mining is now $15.09, significantly lower than the $90.72 observed a year ago. The company states that the Antminer S19j Pro+ model offers a better return on investment compared to other ASIC-generation machines.
Following full deployment, the new rigs are projected to contribute 2.44 EH/s to CleanSpark’s existing 6.6 EH/s of bitcoin mining computing power, marking a 37% growth. CleanSpark considers these new models a strategic fit for its operations in the current market conditions, with the Pro+ version providing increased efficiency and energy savings.
Out of the 20,000 units, 15,000 will be delivered to CleanSpark’s sites in Washington and Georgia. The company had previously announced a $16-million expansion in January at the Washington facility, which is anticipated to boost its hash rate by 2.2 exahashes per second (EH/s) and bring the total hash rate up to 8.7 EH/s. CleanSpark first acquired the Washington facility in August last year before later taking over Mawson Infrastructure Group’s location in Sandersville.
In January, CleanSpark saw a significant improvement in its Bitcoin mining production, with a record monthly production of 697 BTC and an increase in hash rate to 6.6 EH/s from 6.2 EH/s in December. This growth aligns with a broader trend among public mining companies like Core Scientific, Riot, Marathon, and Cipher, which all reported increased Bitcoin production in January due to stable electricity costs and favorable weather conditions in the US.
