Russian pulp mill faces 15M ruble lawsuit over unpaid electricity bills

A legal battle over unpaid electricity bills threatens a major pulp mill's future. With 800M rubles in claims, can the company survive the crisis?

, and Administrator

2026 February 8 . 1:25 PM

1 min read

The image shows a poster with text and a logo that reads "When companies sneak hidden junk fees into families' bills, it can take hundreds of dollars a month out of their pockets."

Russian pulp mill faces 15M ruble lawsuit over unpaid electricity bills

A major legal dispute has erupted between Komi Energy Sales Company and Zheshart Pulp and Paper Mill LLC in Russia's Komi Republic. The energy supplier has filed a lawsuit demanding over 15 million rubles in unpaid electricity bills and penalties. The case adds to more than 140 existing lawsuits against the mill, totalling 809 million rubles.

The lawsuit, submitted to the Komi Arbitration Court, targets unpaid electricity debt from October 2025. Komi Energy Sales Company is seeking 14,748,475 rubles for the outstanding bills, along with an additional 430,542 rubles in accrued penalties. This comes as the mill already faced wage arrears of 68 million rubles at the start of the year.

The Zheshart Pulp and Paper Mill currently employs around 1,200 workers, a figure that has stayed steady over the past five years. Despite minor workforce adjustments—ranging between 1,100 and 1,300 employees—the company has maintained operations in the region. In December 2025, CEO Sergei Andreikhin announced plans to expand production and hire more staff to support growth.

The legal action adds to the financial pressures on the mill, which now faces over 800 million rubles in combined claims. If successful, the lawsuit could further strain the company's operations and workforce stability. The outcome will likely impact both the mill's expansion plans and its existing obligations.