Fortitude Nebraska mining facility goes live ahead of planned listing
Fortitude started a 12-megawatt Zcash mining site in Grand Island as it prepares to go public through a HeartSciences merger.
By Dev Ramirez · Crypto Correspondent
· 3 min read
Fortitude’s Nebraska mining facility is now online, giving the Zcash miner more control over a key cost for any proof-of-work crypto business: electricity. The Digital Currency Group-owned company said Tuesday that its new 12-megawatt site in Grand Island is ready for commercial operations after finishing construction and electrical testing.
For retail investors watching crypto infrastructure, the update matters because mining economics depend heavily on power prices and machine efficiency. A miner earns coins by running specialized computers that help secure a proof-of-work blockchain, and its margin is shaped by the value of the coins mined, electricity costs, equipment performance and network conditions.
Fortitude said the Grand Island project is its first greenfield data center, meaning it built the site from the ground up rather than taking over an existing facility. The launch expands the company’s owned power portfolio to more than 60 megawatts across seven locations.
What is Fortitude building in Nebraska?
Fortitude said the Grand Island facility is a 12-megawatt crypto mining site focused on supporting its Zcash mining strategy. Zcash is a proof-of-work cryptocurrency, so miners compete using computing power to validate transactions and earn newly issued coins and fees.
The company said the Nebraska site should cut its direct cash cost to mine Zcash from about $70 per coin to roughly $40 per coin. Fortitude said that estimate depends on successful equipment deployment and stable power, network and market conditions.
The projected cost reduction comes from two inputs, according to Fortitude: cheaper owned power and more efficient next-generation mining machines. The company expects to buy electricity for about $0.045 per kilowatt-hour at the facility.
The site sits between two solar generation facilities and beside a substation with excess capacity, according to Fortitude. The company said that setup allows the mine to operate as an interruptible load, which means it can reduce power use when electricity demand on the grid peaks.
Why the power strategy matters
CEO Andrea Childs told Decrypt that Fortitude’s approach is to own and operate its power assets rather than lease capacity from third parties. She said that structure is meant to give the company more flexibility as it builds a vertically integrated Zcash mining business and what Fortitude calls a venture mining platform.
Fortitude was launched in January 2025 from Foundry, Digital Currency Group’s mining division. The company has said its venture mining strategy includes mining Bitcoin and other proof-of-work cryptocurrencies, then reinvesting mining proceeds into new machines and additional sites.
The Nebraska opening comes as crypto miners face tougher competition for low-cost electricity. Decrypt reported that demand from AI data centers has increased the fight for suitable power-connected sites, while data centers also face scrutiny over electricity and water usage.
Grand Island officials said Fortitude’s facility was designed to act as a flexible grid resource while limiting effects on the surrounding community, according to Decrypt. That flexibility is becoming a bigger part of the pitch for miners trying to secure power in markets where utilities and local governments are weighing economic development against grid strain.
The facility also arrives before Fortitude’s planned public listing. The company has announced a business combination with HeartSciences, a medical technology company traded on Nasdaq under the ticker HSCS, that would take Fortitude public if completed.
This story draws on original reporting from Decrypt.
