Cryptomining data center provider LN Compute has been denied permission to build a new Bitcoin mining site in Blackshear, Georgia, following a local county vote.
LN Compute faced strong opposition from local residents at the site of the proposed mining facility in Blackshear - in the Rehobeth Church Community - who raised concerns about noise issues, energy demands, health concerns, and potential declining property values.
The Pierce County Commission voted unanimously on February 18 to deny a conditional work permit to LN Compute for a facility at 1199 Cason Road. The vote drew over 150 people - almost all of whom were opposed to the construction of the cryptomining facility, according to a report by the Blackshear Times.
Eric Su, the founder of LN Compute, was in attendance at the vote to present his case in support of the proposed site. Su explained that between one to three jobs with a salary of at least $60,000 would be created thanks to the construction of the data center, but following 90 minutes of public comment, Su had failed to win over the county commission.
Jim Tucker of the Satilla Rural Electric Membership Corporation (REMC) - the largest electric cooperative service territory in the eastern US, which covers Blackshear - estimated the energy bill for the proposed data center would reach $6 million a year, for which Pierce County would receive sales tax.
Tucker said Satilla was more than capable of handling the energy demands of the Bitcoin mining facility, but noted that the operation would potentially be required to halt during when Satilla experienced peak loads - during periods of extreme heat or severe cold.
All of this is now academic for LN Compute, an upstart Bitcoin data center provider that launched in 2021 and also known as LN Energy. The company is partner of Bitmain, from where it sources Antminer mining devices.
On March 1, the company announced the opening of a new cryptomining hub featuring 6,000 slots built specifically for Antminer devices in the latest liquid-cooled range. Details of the location weren't shared.
In November 2024, LN Compute announced the launch of a 55MW hydro-cooled Bitcoin mining farm - also in Georgia, which is described as an “ultramodern facility, equipped with advanced cooling technology.”
In the summer of 2024, LN Compute sold 60MW worth of its Bitcoin hosting capacity to major Bitcoin mining firm, CleanSpark, in a deal worth $25.8 million (or $480,000 per MW).
