September 23, 2026 - The Russian government has published an updated program to develop the domestic coal industry through 2050 that envisages maintaining current mining capacity and creating conditions to establish a new resource base.

The target development scenario to produce coal domestically projects reaching 530.1 million tonnes in 2030, 595.2 million tonnes in 2036, and 662 million tonnes in 2050. Coal exports under the same scenario should reach 266.7 million tonnes in 2030, 320.2 million tonnes in 2036, and 350.1 million tonnes in 2050.

The document also outlines a stress scenario of production of 318.9 million tonnes and exports of 100.5 million tonnes in 2050, a conservative scenario of production of 460.8 million tonnes and exports of 238.2 million tonnes in 2050, and a no-change scenario of production of 586.4 million tonnes and exports of 294.8 million tonnes in 2050.

The program's objectives are planned to be implemented in three stages.

The first stage envisages implementing structural development programs through 2030. Key measures include government support for coal companies; diversification of coal production; expansion of product ranges; and improvement of the industry's production, market and investment potential.

The second stage from 2031 to 2036 entails a rational approach to the comprehensive use of coal within the Russian economy, taking into account the readiness and availability of solid fuel extraction and processing technologies, existing regional energy balances, and logistics. This period is to be used to create the conditions for transitioning to a new technological paradigm within Russia's coal industry.

The third stage from 2037 to 2050 envisages leveraging the potential competitive advantages of Russian coal enterprises within the long-term government energy policy by utilizing state-of-the-art technological, economic, and organizational solutions, as well as establishing long-term partnerships between the coal industry and related sectors.