Mongolia will rely on electricity imports from Russia and China to get through extreme cold snaps this winter as peak demand outpaces national generation capacity, energy officials announced Monday.

Mongolia’s total installed electrical capacity stands at 1,836 megawatts, falling short of projected winter peak demand of 1,956 megawatts. Existing generation includes 1,411 megawatts from thermal plants, 150 megawatts from battery storage, 30 megawatts from wind, and 5 megawatts from hydroelectric plants.

To cover the remaining 350-megawatt deficit, Mongolia has finalized an agreement to import up to 80 megawatts from China, in addition to existing imports from Russia, according to Minister Naidalaa Badrakh.

Nationwide maintenance across power infrastructure is roughly 79% complete ahead of the cold season. Repairs are finished on nine of 20 targeted boilers and eight of 12 turbine generators. A broken turbine generator at Thermal Power Plant No. 3, which went offline last year, is scheduled to restart on December 15, with a second unit expected online in February 2028.

Minister Naidalaa noted that several expired turbine generators have been taken offline. The government allocated MNT 37 billion to modernize the units, reviving work that had been stalled for years.

Mongolia has also signed an initial design agreement with Russia to expand Thermal Power Plant No. 3 by 300 megawatts, with a final contract expected soon. Meanwhile, Thermal Power Plant No. 4 plans to add a new boiler funded by a loan from the Development Bank of Mongolia.

Heating infrastructure remains under heavy strain, with thermal plants currently running 50% above their rated design capacity. The government is pursuing public-private partnerships to advance expansions at Plants 5, 6, and 7, as well as the Amgalan Thermal Power Plant.

Published Date:2026-09-21