How Does the Energy Consumption of PoW Mining Relate to Its Security Value?

The high energy consumption of PoW mining is not a byproduct, but the direct source of its security. The energy expenditure represents the "cost of attack." The greater the energy cost, the more expensive it is for an attacker to gain 51% control and rewrite history.

This economic barrier ensures the immutability and trustworthiness of the ledger.