Energy companies are struggling to keep up with IT: increasing computing power requires more and more energy.

      The energy deficit of Tatarstan in 2025 amounted to 6 billion kWh, with significant growth attributed to Data Processing Centers.

      Photo: Artem Dergunov

      In 2025, electricity consumption in Tatarstan exceeded generation by 6 billion kWh, and consumption continues to grow, especially in the IT and data processing sectors. New Data Processing Centers are being introduced two to three times faster than generation facilities, and the growing demand opens up new opportunities for energy professionals. This and other issues were discussed at a meeting of the Tatarstan government held as part of the "EnergoProm - 2026" forum.

      "Energy is like a kind of holy spirit that brings life"

      On the first day of the Kazan International Electric Power Forum "EnergoProm-2026," the Prime Minister of Tatarstan, Alexey Pesoshin, summarized the implementation of the state program of the Republic of Tatarstan "Energy Resource Efficiency in the Republic of Tatarstan" in 2025. Although the name of the program may seem dry, the reporting sessions traditionally become a platform for lively discussions about the future of energy. Usually, the President of Tatarstan, Rustam Minnikhanov, is present at these meetings. However, this time the head of the republic could not attend, and the zero day of the forum passed without much debate. Business activity is expected to heat up today when the Minister of Energy of the Russian Federation, Sergey Tsivilev, arrives in Kazan. The day will begin with Minnikhanov and Tsivilev inspecting the exhibition of energy companies.

      Artem Dergunov / realnoevremya.ru

      "Energy is like a kind of holy spirit, a vital force that determines the quality of life," began Oleg Korobchenko with a poetic comparison. "For the state, energy is a matter of sovereignty. Access to energy directly affects the well-being of citizens and sets the technological standards of the future," he concluded his introduction. This year, the cost of electricity increased by 14% and amounted to over 5 rubles per 1 kWh for legal entities.

      Last year, the Tatarstan energy system generated 31 billion kWh of electricity, which is 0.7% less than in 2024, reported Oleg Korobchenko as he moved to the report. At the same time, energy consumption in the republic grew to 37 billion kWh.

      Artem Dergunov / realnoevremya.ru

      The missing volume of 6 billion kilowatt-hours was covered by external transfers. "Our generation does not yet meet the growing demand for electricity," stated Oleg Korobchenko. Skipping details regarding the reasons for the decline in electricity generation, the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade stated that the authorities are counting on "the proactive development of the energy system to ensure the economic growth of the republic."

      "Data Processing Centers are built in 2-3 years, while in energy, it takes from 4 to 12 years"

      A surprise for energy professionals was the doubling of energy consumption from Data Processing Centers (DPCs). As Korobchenko reported, they increased their consumption to 255.8 million kWh. Now the IT industry accounts for more than 3% of the annual energy consumption in the republic, while in Russia, the share of energy consumption by the IT industry does not exceed 0.7%.

      The sharp increase in energy consumption by DPCs is associated with the rapid development of data processing technologies, he explained. Over the past three years, this figure has increased fivefold, reaching 1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity. And this is not the limit. In the near future, the load on the republic's networks could increase almost fivefold, believes the head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Republic of Tatarstan.

      According to the forecast of the Ministry of Energy of Russia, by 2030, the share of artificial intelligence in the consumption of DPCs across the country will grow from 15% to 50%. In addition, an increase in the average capacity of one center from 50 to 150 MW is expected (almost half of the average capacity of a thermal power plant).

      In this regard, there is an acute need to meet the needs of this new market segment without harming industrial enterprises. The Deputy Prime Minister of Tatarstan suggested that DPC owners build their own energy sources.

      Later, the Deputy Minister of Energy of Russia, Sheremetsev, noted that it is difficult to respond instantly to the increase in consumption from DPCs.

      "DPCs with AI equipment are built in 2-3 years. In energy, construction timelines range from 4 to 12 years," he said. According to him, the IT industry needs to synchronize its plans with energy professionals.

      Artem Dergunov / realnoevremya.ru

      Currently, energy professionals are updating capacities through planned repairs and servicing. This is a challenging task, as many thermal power plants operate on foreign equipment. Usually, repairs stretch over several months, leading to a reduction in generation.

      TAIF Group carried out a major reconstruction of a gas turbine unit with a capacity of 405.5 MW at Kazan TPP-3 in a compressed timeframe — just 18 months, praised the TAIF team Deputy Prime Minister Oleg Korobchenko.

      "Usually, preparation for such an inspection takes 30 months. They managed to do it in 18. At the same time, all work and inspections were carried out in full and with high quality, replacing tens of thousands of parts: combustion chambers and turbines, including blades with significant mass. "It's about the weight of three large KAMAZ trucks," he compared. According to him, in the context of increasing demand for energy, it is necessary to continue the modernization of existing and the construction of new competitive energy capacities.

      How alternative generation has expanded

      At the same time, electricity generation by retail generation facilities has tripled and now accounts for 17.5% of total electricity production, reported Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Industry and Trade of Tatarstan Oleg Korobchenko. This year, new generating sources will be launched by the "Kazan Powder Plant," the Turkish company "Kastamonu" in the Alabuga SEZ, and "KER-Generation" in Naberezhnye Chelny. As a result, an additional 24 MW will be added, but this is not the limit. By 2028, a new energy source is planned to be built for the implementation of the second phase of "Ammonia." This adds another 24 MW.

      "Own generation today is a key trend that allows reducing energy resource costs and increasing competitiveness," positively assesses the trend Oleg Korobchenko. According to him, producers strive to build their own sources to reduce electricity costs. Thus, in 2025, the average price of electricity for legal entities was 5.45 rubles per kilowatt-hour, which is 14.8% higher than the previous period.

      It is time to reconsider electricity costs

      Prime Minister Alexey Pesoshin concluded the discussion. He reminded that the industrial production index in Tatarstan reached 109.9%, despite sanctions pressure. The energy intensity of the industry amounted to 10 tons of conditional fuel per 1 million rubles, which is 5% lower than the previous year's figure. Nevertheless, he called for an analysis of the energy intensity of production.

      Provided by the press service of SIBUR

      "Over the past 5 years, energy consumption has increased by more than 5 billion kilowatt-hours. On the one hand, it is necessary to increase competitive, highly efficient generating capacities. But on the other hand, it is necessary to improve the efficiency of electrical capacities," he advised. And he reminded that five thermal power plants in Tatarstan entered the federal program for comprehensive modernization KOMMOD. By 2031, 126 billion rubles are planned to be invested in the modernization of generating facilities, which will allow reducing the cost of energy production.

      Luiza Ignatieva