Electricity consumption in Russia may decrease by 0.5% by the end of 2026. Since the beginning of the year, the indicator has already decreased by 0.5%, said the head of the System Operator at the 'Russian Energy Week — 2026' forum.
In 2025, energy consumption decreased by 0.8%, to 1.161 trillion kWh. The five-year forecast assumes an average annual growth of 1.87% — up to 1.301 trillion kWh by 2032. Half a percent of last year's volume is about 5.8 billion kWh.
Electricity consumption is an indicator of business activity. A 0.5% drop means that industry and business are using less energy this year than the year before. At the same time, the System Operator expects a turnaround: in five years, growth will resume. For now, the outcome depends on the weather — a warm winter reduces heating costs, a cold one increases them.