Energy policy of the Soviet Union

The energy policy of the Soviet Union was an important feature of the country's planned economy from the time of Lenin (head of government until 1924) onward.

During the country's 70 years of existence (1922–1991), it primarily secured economic growth based on large inputs of natural resources.

In contrast to other nations who shared the same experience, technological innovation was not strong enough to replace the energy sector in importance.

So, despite its overall stagnation, the Soviet Union under Leonid Brezhnev (General Secretary from 1964 to 1982) moved from being an autarkic economy to a country trying to integrate into the world market.

[citation needed] During its existence, the Soviet Union, when compared to any other country, had the largest supply of untapped energy resources within its borders.

[2] Policy used by the Soviet leadership to direct energy resources was vital to the military and economic success of the country.

[3] The policy acted on in the USSR affected the Soviet satellite-nations and - to a lesser extent - the entire world.

[3] The political maneuvers used by the USSR with regard to energy exports would come to be mirrored by the Russian Federation government to follow after 1991.

[3] The USSR also suffered from a lack of demand by Capitalist Nations and their previous colonial holdings in developing countries.

[7] Seeing the political influence that the Soviet Union would gain over Western Europe, President Reagan attempted to stop this project but failed.

[3] This ‘big picture’ scope was then taken up by the Ministries and Committees involved in economic development and all the major industries within the USSR.

[6] Policies that led to the large-scale implementation of techniques such a water-flooding reservoirs had initial benefits and were administratively efficient.

[7] Both the USSR and Russia (under Vladimir Putin), have cancelled exports of energy supplies to buyers who have gone against national objectives.