China has halted imports of electricity from Russia, sources cited by Kommersant newspaper said on Friday, amid rising power prices and supply constraints. Moscow has expressed readiness to resume deliveries, with both sides engaged in ongoing discussions.
The dispute centers on InterRAO, Russia’s supplier of electricity to China, which confirmed that the long-term contract remains valid and that neither party intends to terminate it. The company said talks are ongoing to explore opportunities for continued electricity trade.
The original agreement, signed in 2012, spans 25 years and envisages the delivery of about 100 billion kilowatt-hours of power via interstate transmission lines in Russia’s Far East to northeastern China.
Transmission capacity allows up to 7 billion kilowatt-hours per year, but actual deliveries have fallen sharply due to system limitations and growing domestic demand in Russia’s Far East.
After a record 4.6 billion kilowatt-hours were exported in 2022, shipments to China dropped to 3.1 billion in 2023, 0.9 billion in 2024, and just 0.3 billion in the first nine months of 2025.
Kommersant linked the slowdown to higher Russian domestic electricity prices compared with those in China, making exports less economically attractive.
While Russia remains willing to resume exports if China requests them under mutually beneficial terms, it remains unclear which side initiated the temporary halt.
InterRAO emphasized that discussions with the Chinese authorities are ongoing and that Beijing has not signaled any intention to cancel the contract.
The reduction in electricity exports highlights growing strain on Russia’s Far Eastern power grid, which faces increasing consumption pressures as industrial and residential demand rises.
Both nations are seeking a resolution to maintain cross-border electricity trade, ensuring stability for China’s northeastern provinces while addressing Russia’s domestic supply challenges.