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RM Capital Ventures representative outlines mining operation and possible 25‑megawatt expansion near Big River Resources
Summary
A land agent for RM Capital Ventures described a current ~5 MW Bitcoin mining site near Big River Resources and answered supervisors' questions about power, water use and economic impact while saying expansion to 25 MW would require substantial transmission upgrades and capital investment.
A land agent for RM Capital Ventures identified himself to the board and presented details about an existing Bitcoin mining operation near Big River Resources in West Burlington and a potential expansion to a larger data‑center profile.
The presenter said the current site sits at about 4.25–5 megawatts available without additional transmission work and that the company would be willing to pay for upgrades if it pursued a 25‑megawatt expansion. He described cooling systems used at his facilities and told the board that the on‑site containers primarily use closed‑loop (dry) cooling and typically do not use municipal water. For example, he said the current dry‑cooler machines on site use between "225 to 350 gallons per year" in a worst‑case unit scenario and that a full wet‑chiller 25‑megawatt expansion could consume substantially more water if end users required evaporative cooling.
On power, the presenter said he sources existing utility capacity and uses demand‑response/load‑shedding agreements with the local utility (Eastern Iowa Light & Power) to avoid stressing the grid. He described daily energy reports and automatic curtailment systems that allow his operation to shut down when wholesale prices spike. The presenter provided illustrative capital estimates, saying a 25‑megawatt build could involve roughly $300 million in construction plus tens of millions to upgrade substation capacity; he also said the facility could add to a utility's revenue by putting otherwise idle generation into productive use.
Supervisors pressed on water, noise and local impacts; conservation staff said they did not see major conservation flags for a small facility, but asked for specific water‑use and discharge details if the applicant sought water permits. The presenter agreed to share his slide deck and to make the site available for supervisors and staff to tour later the same day. No zoning or permit decision was made at the meeting; the presentation informed the board as it considers countywide data center language under a moratorium review process.
