[Italian Energy Company Alps Blockchain Converts Idle Power Plant in Bolivia into Bitcoin Mining Facility] According to Bits.media, Italian energy company Alps Blockchain has partnered with Bolivian company Qurubiqa to launch Bitcoin mining operations at a 127 MW idle natural gas power plant in the Cochabamba region of Bolivia. Currently, the mining facility consumes approximately 27 MW of electricity, with a hash rate of 1.23 EH/s, and plans to increase power consumption to 45 MW by the end of the year. The mining equipment directly utilizes electricity generated by the power plant without connecting to the public grid. Due to Bolivia's currency crisis and a shortage of U.S. dollars, the project participants settle transactions in USD.