Overview of the Rejected Proposal
The French National Assembly recently rejected a legislative amendment that would have explored using the country's surplus nuclear electricity for Bitcoin mining operations. The proposal, submitted on June 12, 2025, aimed to conduct an official study on integrating Bitcoin mining into France's national energy strategy to optimize grid management and utilize excess power generation.
The amendment was part of a broader bill titled "National Programming and Regulatory Simplification in the Energy Sector" and called for the government to evaluate whether Bitcoin mining could serve as a flexible energy consumer to absorb France's frequent electricity surpluses. However, the proposal was ruled "inadmissible" under Rule 98 of the French National Assembly's parliamentary procedures before it could even reach the discussion stage.
The Procedural Rejection
The rejection was based purely on procedural grounds rather than the merits of the proposal itself. Under Article 98 of the Assembly's Rules of Procedure, the amendment was deemed incompatible with the scope of the energy bill it was attached to, a decision known as "cavalier législatif" or procedural disqualification. This type of ruling indicates that the topic was considered unrelated to the main focus of the energy sector regulatory simplification bill.
Importantly, the parliament clarified that the rejection was solely based on the proposal's format, suggesting that a more concise amendment could potentially be submitted in the future as part of a more relevant bill or as a standalone initiative.
France's Energy Surplus Challenge
France's heavy reliance on nuclear power, which generates over 70% of its electricity, creates significant challenges in grid management. Nuclear plants are designed to run continuously at or near full capacity, but their inflexibility in ramping up or down creates frequent periods of energy surplus, particularly during low demand periods.
In 2024 alone, France wasted nearly €80 million worth of electricity due to overproduction. This substantial economic loss highlights the pressing need for solutions to absorb excess energy production. The country's nuclear fleet produced 361.7 terawatt-hours of nuclear energy in 2024, representing a 40 terawatt-hour increase from the previous year.
The Proposed Solution: Bitcoin Mining as Grid Stabilization
The rejected amendment proposed leveraging Bitcoin mining's unique technical characteristics to address France's energy surplus challenge. Bitcoin mining operations can act as flexible energy consumers that can be quickly ramped up during periods of excess electricity production and shut down when public demand is high.
The proposal outlined several potential benefits:
- Grid Stabilization: Mining operations could serve as interruptible loads that consume surplus power when available and shut down during peak demand periods
- Economic Value Creation: Transform wasted electricity into productive economic activity through mining rewards and tax revenue
- Infrastructure Revitalization: Repurpose abandoned industrial sites as mining centers, creating jobs and stimulating regional development
- Heat Recovery: Utilize waste heat from mining operations for urban heating or industrial processes
International Precedents: El Salvador and Bhutan
Had the proposal been approved, France would have joined a select group of countries incorporating Bitcoin mining into their national energy strategies. El Salvador adopted Bitcoin as legal tender in 2021 and announced plans to mine the cryptocurrency using volcanic geothermal energy, with President Nayib Bukele instructing the state-owned LaGeo company to provide 95 MW of clean, emission-free energy.
Bhutan has emerged as another significant player in state-sponsored Bitcoin mining, leveraging its abundant hydroelectric power resources. The Himalayan kingdom holds 12,574 BTC valued at approximately $1.1 billion, constituting more than one-third of its $3 billion GDP. Bhutan's strategy involves using its extensive hydropower infrastructure to mine Bitcoin sustainably, with plans to expand power generation from 3.5 gigawatts to 15 gigawatts in the coming decade.
Environmental Concerns and Public Perception
Despite the potential for using clean nuclear energy, Bitcoin mining remains controversial in France due to environmental concerns. The rejection reflects ongoing skepticism about cryptocurrency mining's energy consumption, even when powered by low-carbon sources. This public perception challenge represents a significant hurdle for future proposals, as lawmakers must balance technical feasibility with political acceptability.
The French Association for the Development of Digital Assets (ADAN) collaborated in drafting the amendment, emphasizing how low-carbon Bitcoin mining could strengthen the national electricity grid's resilience. However, overcoming public resistance to cryptocurrency mining remains a key challenge for any future initiatives.
Future Prospects and Global Trends
While the immediate proposal was rejected, the underlying energy management challenges that prompted it remain unresolved. The €80 million in wasted electricity annually represents a significant opportunity cost that will likely drive continued interest in flexible energy consumption solutions.
The global trend toward incorporating Bitcoin mining into energy strategies continues to gain momentum. Texas in the United States has championed mining as a way to stabilize its wind-heavy grid, while countries like Belarus and Pakistan have initiated studies on using Bitcoin mining to absorb excess power. These international developments suggest that France may revisit the concept in a different format or legislative context.
Conclusion
The French National Assembly's rejection of the Bitcoin mining proposal represents a missed opportunity to address the country's significant energy surplus challenge through innovative grid management. While the rejection was based on procedural rather than substantive grounds, it reflects the ongoing tension between emerging cryptocurrency technologies and traditional policy frameworks.
The proposal's potential to transform €80 million in annual energy waste into productive economic activity remains compelling. As other nations successfully integrate Bitcoin mining into their energy strategies, France may need to reconsider its approach to remain competitive in the evolving digital economy while addressing its nuclear energy grid optimization challenges.
