China has stopped buying power from Russia

China has fully stopped electricity imports from Russia as of 1 January 2026, no longer buying even the contractually required minimum of around 12 MW.

Source: Russian newspaper Kommersant, citing its sources

Details: China's decision to stop Russian electricity imports was driven by high export prices, which from January 2026 surpassed domestic Chinese rates for the first time, making further purchases economically unviable.

Inter RAO, a Russian export-import operator, had been supplying China with surplus electricity from Russia's Far East.

The supply contract was signed with China's State Grid Corporation in 2012 and is valid until 2037.

It envisaged total deliveries of around 100 billion kWh over the entire period, or roughly 4 billion kWh per year.

The electricity pricing formula set out in the contract is not publicly known.

Sources told Kommersant that electricity exports to China are unlikely to resume in 2026. Nonetheless, Russia's Ministry of Energy has not ruled out the possibility of exports resuming if China submits a new request.

Background: China's trade with Russia declined in 2025 from its record 2024 level, marking the first drop in five years.

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