Russia's power exports to China HALTED amid energy price dispute
By bellecarter // 2026-01-19
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  • China has stopped importing electricity from Russia as of January 2026, marking the first time Russian export prices exceeded China's domestic rates, making purchases economically unviable.
  • Neither side intends to cancel their 2012 long-term contract, but Russia's Energy Ministry states exports will only resume under "mutually beneficial" terms. China has not publicly commented, signaling a cautious approach to negotiation.
  • Russian electricity exports to China dropped sharply from 4.6 billion kilowatt-hours in 2022 to just 0.3 billion kilowatt-hours in the first nine months of 2025, initially due to Russia's own power shortages in the Far East.
  • The dispute mirrors stalled negotiations over Russia's proposed Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline, where China demands discounts while Russia seeks favorable terms amid Western sanctions and lost European markets.
  • Despite political alignment, both nations prioritize domestic economic needs, revealing China's strategy of securing cheap energy while maintaining negotiation leverage—highlighting cracks in their "no limits" alliance.
China has halted electricity imports from Russia, according to a January 2026 report by Russian business daily Kommersant, marking the first time Russian export prices have exceeded China's domestic power rates. The pause in trade comes amid ongoing negotiations between Moscow and Beijing, with Russia's Ministry of Energy stating it could resume exports if China requests a resumption under "mutually beneficial" terms. The dispute highlights tensions in the two nations' energy partnership, despite their close political alignment, as both sides navigate economic pressures and domestic demand priorities. Russia has been a key electricity supplier to China under a long-term contract signed in 2012, which promised 100 billion kilowatt-hours over 25 years. However, since 2022, exports have steadily declined—from a peak of 4.6 billion kilowatt-hours that year to just 0.3 billion in the first nine months of 2025. The drop was initially driven by Russia's own power shortages in the Far East, where rising demand constrained exports. But in 2026, Russia's export prices surpassed China's domestic rates, making purchases economically unviable for Beijing. Kommersant reported that China stopped imports entirely on Jan. 1, though neither side intends to cancel the contract. Russia's state-owned supplier InterRAO confirmed that discussions are ongoing, stating, "The Chinese side, with which we are in constant contact, has also not expressed any interest in terminating the contract." The electricity dispute mirrors other pricing conflicts in Russia-China energy relations. Notably, negotiations over the proposed Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline. have stalled due to disagreements on pricing. According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, the Power of Siberia 2 pipeline is a major project intended to supply China via Mongolia, Russia, facing Western sanctions and dwindling European gas markets, seeks favorable terms, while China, leveraging its position as Moscow's largest energy customer, pushes for discounts.

Historical context: A shifting energy partnership

Despite political solidarity, economic realities have forced both nations to prioritize domestic needs. Russia's Energy Ministry emphasized that its priority is meeting Far Eastern demand, though it remains open to resuming exports if China agrees to revised pricing. Meanwhile, Beijing has not publicly commented on the halt, signaling a cautious approach to negotiations. Russia and China have deepened energy ties since 2014, when Western sanctions over Ukraine pushed Moscow toward Asian markets. China capitalized on discounted Russian oil and gas, with imports surging to $18.9 billion between March and May 2022—nearly double the previous year's purchases. However, pricing disputes have repeatedly surfaced, revealing Beijing's reluctance to overpay even for a strategic partner's resources. The current electricity standoff underscores China's broader strategy: securing energy at the lowest possible cost while maintaining leverage in negotiations. For Russia, losing a major electricity buyer adds pressure to an economy already strained by sanctions and wartime spending. The halt in Russian electricity exports to China reflects a pragmatic recalibration between two allies navigating economic self-interest. While neither side appears willing to sever ties, the impasse highlights the limits of their partnership when financial terms clash. As negotiations continue, the outcome will signal whether Moscow and Beijing can reconcile competing priorities—or if energy disputes will remain a recurring friction in their "no limits" alliance. Watch this edition of "Brighteon Broadcast News" that talks about the Russia-China energy pipeline deal. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: OilPrice.com Kommersant.ru Reuters.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com
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