Exhibit 99.1

Iris Energy provides 5.5 EH/s installation update

 

3.6 EH/s operating, all remaining miners delivered

 

600MW Childress substation energized

 

Additional share acquisitions by director

 

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, April 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Iris Energy Limited (NASDAQ: IREN) (together with its subsidiaries, “Iris Energy”, “the Company” or “the Group”), a leading owner and operator of institutional-grade, highly efficient Bitcoin mining data centers powered by 100% renewable energy, today provided an update on the installation of its 5.5 EH/s of operating capacity.

 

5.5 EH/s installation update

 

Iris Energy is pleased to advise that it has increased its operating hashrate from 3.1 EH/s to a current level of 3.6 EH/s (as part of the Company’s recently announced increase in self-mining capacity to 5.5 EH/s).

 

All remaining 1.9 EH/s of miners have now been delivered and are pending installation.

 

160MW of data centers (supporting ~4.9 EH/s) is available immediately, with commissioning of the first 20MW at Childress (supporting the remaining ~0.6 EH/s) expected in the coming weeks.

 

600MW Childress substation energized

 

The Company is pleased to advise that on April 6, 2023, the 600MW bulk power substation at Childress was energized, completing the connection of the site to the ERCOT grid.

 

As previously disclosed, following completion of the connection, approximately $18 million in previous deposits with AEP Texas are expected to be refunded.

 

Additional share acquisitions by director

 

The Company also advises that between April 6, 2023 and April 11, 2023, an entity affiliated with Mr. Michael Alfred, a director on the Company's Board of Directors, acquired an additional 75,000 of its ordinary shares for consideration of approximately $264,803. Since March 13, 2023, the relevant affiliated entity has acquired 430,461 ordinary shares in aggregate for total consideration of approximately $1,283,253.

 

About Iris Energy

 

Iris Energy is a sustainable Bitcoin mining company that supports the decarbonization of energy markets and the global Bitcoin network.

 

 

Forward-Looking Statements

 

This investor update includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements generally relate to future events or Iris Energy’s future financial or operating performance. For example, forward-looking statements include but are not limited to the Company’s business strategy, expected operational and financial results, and expected increase in power capacity and hashrate. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “may,” “can,” “should,” “could,” “might,” “plan,” “possible,” “project,” “strive,” “budget,” “forecast,” “expect,” “intend,” “target”, “will,” “estimate,” “predict,” “potential,” “continue,” “scheduled” or the negatives of these terms or variations of them or similar terminology, but the absence of these words does not mean that statement is not forward-looking. Such forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward looking statements. In addition, any statements or information that refer to expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, performance or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking.

 

These forward-looking statements are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other important factors that may cause Iris Energy’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to: Iris Energy’s limited operating history with operating losses; electricity outage, limitation of electricity supply or increase in electricity costs, as well as limitations on the availability of electrical supply for Bitcoin mining due to restrictions imposed by governmental authorities or otherwise; long term outage or limitation of the internet connection at Iris Energy’s sites; any critical failure of key electrical or data center equipment; serial defects or underperformance with respect to Iris Energy’s equipment; failure of suppliers to perform under the relevant supply contracts for equipment that has already been procured which may delay Iris Energy’s expansion plans; supply chain and logistics issues for Iris Energy or Iris Energy’s suppliers; cancellation or withdrawal of required operating and other permits and licenses; customary risks in developing greenfield infrastructure projects; Iris Energy’s evolving business model and strategy; Iris Energy’s ability to successfully manage its growth; Iris Energy’s ability to raise additional financing (whether because of the conditions of the markets, Iris Energy’s financial condition or otherwise) on a timely basis, or at all, which could adversely impact the Company’s ability to meet its capital commitments (including payments due under any hardware purchase contracts or debt financing obligations) and the Company’s growth plans; the failure of Iris Energy’s wholly-owned special purpose vehicles to make required payments of principal and/or interest under their limited recourse equipment financing arrangements when due or otherwise comply with the terms thereof, as a result of which the lender thereunder has declared the entire principal amount of each loan to be immediately due and payable, and is taking steps to enforce the indebtedness and its rights in the Bitcoin miners with respect to certain of such loans and other assets securing such loans, including appointing a receiver with respect to such special purpose vehicles, which is expected to result in the loss of the relevant Bitcoin miners securing such loans and has materially reduced the Company’s operating capacity, and could also lead to bankruptcy or liquidation of the relevant special purpose vehicles, and materially and adversely impact the Company’s business, operating expansion plans, financial condition, cash flows and results of operations; the terms of any additional financing or any refinancing, restructuring or modification to the terms of any existing financing, which could be less favorable or require Iris Energy to comply with more onerous covenants or restrictions, any of which could restrict its business operations and adversely impact its financial condition, cash flows and results of operations; competition; Bitcoin prices, global hashrate and the market value of Bitcoin miners, any of which could adversely impact its financial condition, cash flows and results of operations, as well as its ability to raise additional financing and the ability of its wholly owned special purpose vehicles to make required payments of principal and/or interest on their equipment financing facilities; risks related to health pandemics including those of COVID-19; changes in regulation of digital assets; and other important factors discussed under the caption “Risk Factors” in Iris Energy’s annual report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on September 13, 2022, and the Company’s report on Form 6 K filed with the SEC on February 15, 2023, as such factors may be updated from time to time in its other filings with the SEC, accessible on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov and the Investor Relations section of Iris Energy’s website at https://investors.irisenergy.co.

 

These and other important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements made in this investor update. Any forward-looking statement that Iris Energy makes in this investor update speaks only as of the date of such statement. Except as required by law, Iris Energy disclaims any obligation to update or revise, or to publicly announce any update or revision to, any of the forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

 

Contacts

 

 

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