$120 Million Investment Project Halted: Tether Abandons Two Bitcoin Mining Sites in Uruguay

Odaily News: Bitcoin News stated on the X platform that, according to Reuters, Tether has abandoned two Bitcoin mining sites in Uruguay amid a dispute with the state-owned utility company UTE over the amount of electricity available to the mining sites. A former contractor estimated that Tether invested approximately $60 million in each mining site, totaling around $120 million. In 2023, Tether announced its expansion into Uruguay, calling the country a "perfect platform" thanks to its renewable energy and reliable power grid. The mining sites generated revenue in their early stages of operation, but subsequently struggled to secure sufficient electricity to maintain stable operations. The dispute escalated in 2025, with Tether's local entity ceasing electricity payments. UTE cut off power supply to the mines in July of that year, after which Tether halted operations and laid off most of its staff. The outstanding debts were settled in December. According to reports, Uruguay was originally planned as a test site for Tether's expansion of Bitcoin mining operations in South America. Tether stated that its global investments in energy production and Bitcoin mining have exceeded $2 billion.