The Wenatchee Valley is featured on a CNN story on bitcoin mining from recent days.

The story features interview footage of East Wenatchee Mayor Jerrilea Crawford and Malachi Salcido of Salcido Enterprises, which has seven bitcoin mining operations in Chelan and Douglas counties.

It was shot on location in the Valley and mentions that 25 percent of Douglas County PUD's hydro-power output is used for bitcoin mining.

Salcido said on camera that electricity accounts for 65 percent of the cost to operate his mining operations.

The story ends with its moderator noting that Douglas PUD has stopped new bitcoin operations, while Chelan PUD has no set restrictions on the businesses.

The CNN piece notes how 35 percent of bitcoin mining is now being done in the U.S. China was previously the bitcoin mining capitol before a crackdown by the Communist Party. The story also mentions the attraction of bitcoin mining operators to the inexpensive electricity produced by hydropower.

Mayor Crawford was quoted in the story as saying she's "enthusiastically optimistic" about the bitcoin industry, noting that it broadens the local economy beyond agriculture.

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