Opportunities in Russia's power market

Russia’s energy markets are known for being closed off to Western involvement. But as the regulators prepare to finalise their liberalisation programme this month, is the landscape becoming ripe for Western participation? Katie Holliday examines the outlook

Russia's energy markets are notorious for having a few, yet huge, domestic players making it difficult for Western players to gain access. However, Russia's growing power sector could prove a more viable route of entry for Western participants now that European energy companies such as Germany's E.ON, Italy's Enel and Finland's Fortum are establishing a strong presence in Russia and power prices