The volume of electric generation in Russia in January-August 2026 decreased by 0.2% compared to the same period in 2025, to 782 billion kWh. Fedor Opadchy, head of the Unified Energy System System Operator, said that from the beginning of the year to the beginning of October, electricity consumption in the country decreased by 0.2% compared to the same period in 2025. The regulator's forecast of energy consumption growth for the entire current year is expected to increase by 1-1.5%.
This is stated in issue No. 1694 of the monthly bulletin "Branches of the Russian Economy: Manufacturing, finance, securities. Electric Power Industry" dated October 14, 2026.
The new South Yakutsk thermal power plant is included in the power system. The first stage of the new combined cycle thermal power plant, which is being built by Gazprom Energoholding with a capacity of up to 220 MW, is connected to the Unified National Electric Grid. The construction of the Yuzhno-Yakutsk thermal power plant began in 2024 in the area of the village of Chulman, Neryungrinsky district. The new station will help solve the problem of electrification of the railway infrastructure of the Eastern polygon of Russian Railways.
In the first seven months of 2026, 350 MW of electricity storage systems were introduced into the southern energy system. Such data was reported to the press by the Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation Sergey Tsivilev. According to him, in August, these solutions allowed saving about 100 million rubles and reducing the volume of restrictions on energy supply to consumers during scheduled repairs and modernization of power facilities. The Russian government has also decided to build storage facilities with a total capacity of 250 MW in the Far East.
The average monthly equilibrium electricity purchase prices in the competitive market in September 2026 increased by 6.9% in Europe and the Urals and by 22.4% in Siberia compared to the previous month. Compared to the same period a year earlier, the equilibrium average prices in the first energy zone in September were lower by 0.7%, and in the second — lower by 18.3%. The difference between the average equilibrium price in these two zones in September was 27.7%. The price dynamics of the past month was relatively flat in the first and noticeably volatile in the second energy zone. In September, there was one price spike in Siberia with a drop of more than 25%.
The Ministry of Energy has published the final version of the draft law on Assistance to Infrastructure Development. The document provides for the establishment of the Rosenergoproekt Development Institute. The new version includes mandatory payment by consumers for services related to the development of the Unified National Electric Grid (UNES). These funds are planned to be used to finance the mainline projects of PJSC ROSSETI, including the construction and modernization of power transmission lines.
The bill also allows Rosseti to use the federal mobile capacity reserve. By decision of the government, this reserve may include generation facilities, including energy storage systems (EES). This effectively removes the ban on combining types of electricity transmission and production activities.
For a more detailed analysis, see Issue No. 1694 of the monthly bulletin "Branches of the Russian Economy: Manufacturing, Finance, Securities. Electric Power Industry" dated October 14, 2026.
