Breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia suspends school and plans Internet shutdown amid energy crisis

The Russian-backed authorities in the breakaway Georgian republic of Abkhazia have decided to suspend school for one week starting December 10 due to the region’s ongoing energy crisis, Acting Prime Minister Valery Bganba said on Monday.

Additionally, the unrecognized republic’s energy security headquarters has urged local Internet providers to implement nightly shutdowns across the republic to combat illegal cryptocurrency mining, which is exacerbating the energy shortage. Russian state media reports that Internet access will be cut off from midnight to 7:00 a.m. on December 10.

Abkhazia began imposing electricity supply restrictions in November. The self-declared republic relies primarily on power transfers from Russia and the Enguri hydroelectric power plant, whose output has been reduced due to critically low water levels in the Jvari Reservoir.

A new power outage schedule was introduced in Abkhazia on December 9, with electricity supplied twice a day for two hours and 20 minutes. Nighttime restrictions have previously not been implemented.

On December 10, the Abkhazian government plans to discuss the potential declaration of a state of emergency in the energy sector.