The government is looking for new areas of demand for Russian coal.
The Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ministry of Economic Development and the Coal Mining Regions were directed to develop ways to compensate for a reduction in coal exports through domestic consumption until March 31, 2027. Among the promising fields are coal chemistry and energy supply for data processing centers (DPCs).
The authorities also intend to stimulate the deep processing of coal and the production of products with high added value.
The need for new markets is related to the decrease in export supply. In 2025, Russia will export 211.2 million tons of coal compared to 223 million tons in 2021. At the same time, local demand is also decreasing: in the first half of 2026, the supply decreased by 1.5%, to 104.5 million tons.
Experts see the most promising construction of data centers near coal mining plants, especially in Kuzbass and Vikotia. However, even such projects can provide additional demand of only 2–10 million tons of coal per year.
According to analysts, new directions will help support the industry, but will not be able to fully compensate for the loss of exports. To achieve the goals of the energy strategy until 2050, it will be necessary to expand foreign markets.