Rockdale, Texas has been hit hard economically in the last year with the local coal-fired power plant and mine shutting down its business operations. Bitmain is stepping in to ease the economic pain by replacing the coal mining operations with Bitcoin mining operations.
The site of the bitcoin mining operation is next door to Dallas-based Luminant’s Sandow power plant, which closed in January. The new bitcoin operation is expected to create 300 to 500 jobs and offset the 325 jobs lost at the power plant and mine.
While Bitmain has yet to publicly announce their plans or announce when the mining operation will open its doors, the Chinese company has been active on Indeed.com (job listing website), listing a need for a project manager in Rockdale, Texas.
On Thursday afternoon, one bitcoin was worth more than $7,400. Previously, the digital currency peaked at more than $19,000 last year.