Bitcoin mining news: Hashprice plunges to new low, 166 GW load forecast, and Cipher’s $830M Fluidstack extension

Group 1: Bitcoin Mining - Hash price has collapsed to an all-time low of $36.97 per PH per day, breaking the previous low of $38/PH/day recorded in August 2024 [2] - Mining difficulty has decreased slightly, but the relief is limited as transaction fees have dried up and the fee market is described as "a barren wasteland" [3] - Despite the severe compression in mining economics, the global hashrate continues to climb, raising concerns about a potential capitulation event [3] Group 2: Nvidia and AI Infrastructure - Nvidia reported a significant Q3 earnings increase, with revenue up 62% and data-center sales reaching $51.2 billion, forecasting Q4 revenue of $65 billion (±2%) [4] - Initial market enthusiasm following Nvidia's earnings report was short-lived, as investor fears regarding AI payback periods and market concentration risks led to a rapid retracement of gains [5] - The U.S. load growth is projected to reach 166GW by 2030, with AI demand accounting for more than half of this increase, indicating a shift towards higher power costs driven by unprecedented AI-driven demand [6][7] Group 3: Energy Demand Projections - Data centers are expected to account for 55% of the total demand growth, contributing 90GW of the projected 166GW increase in U.S. electricity consumption [7] - Total U.S. electricity consumption is anticipated to rise by 32% by 2030, with six regions driving 80% of the growth, particularly ERCOT, which alone is projected to contribute 53GW [7]