Politics
Prime Minister orders urgent fix after regulator cuts night electricity discount for ger-district households
Published: 2026-11-14
The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) cut the night-time electricity discount for ger-district households from November 1. Prime Minister N. Uchral set strict demands for ERC leadership and assigned the duty to resolve the issue urgently to Energy Minister B. Naidalaa and sector leaders.
Last year, 220V households received a 100% discount on night use up to 1,500 kWh and 380V households up to 3,000 kWh, with 50% off beyond those limits. This year both limits are 1,500 kWh, with no discount above that.
The government had announced no electricity or heating price increases this winter, allocating 186.2 billion tugrik in the 2026 budget amendment for that purpose and for repairs. Uchral said:
“I cannot raise heating and electricity prices. After raising them, how are people supposed to live?” - N. Uchral (itoim.mn)
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Fuel shortages, Tuul expressway payment probe and garage tax bill lead the week’s news
Published: 2026-11-14
Fuel supply problems persisted: queues shortened at central Ulaanbaatar stations, but regular AI-92 (3,590 tugrik per liter) was missing from some, while some outskirts stations had long queues for it. Euro-92 costs about 1,500 tugrik more per liter.
Prime Minister N. Uchral, questioned in Omnogovi on November 11, said he is arranging a contract for 90,000 tonnes of fuel monthly from next month:
“I am no gasoline producer. Talk about real life.” - N. Uchral (gogo.mn)
The Anti-Corruption Agency and police investigate a 500 billion tugrik Tuul expressway advance payment, including whether former capital governor Kh. Nyambaatar breached procurement law.
A petition for life imprisonment for officials who illegally acquire over 100 million tugrik drew 100,094 supporters, above the 100,000 drafting threshold, though no law has passed.
The government backed a bill exempting one private garage or parking space from property tax.
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Economy
Parliament approves 2027 budget as inflation climbs to 13.4%
Published: 2026-11-14
Parliament approved the 2027 state budget on Friday, with 39.2 trillion tugrik in revenue and 41.5 trillion tugrik in spending.
The government withdrew its proposal to spend 2 trillion tugrik of the expected 3 trillion tugrik Oyu Tolgoi dividend on energy and education projects, and some energy projects moved onto the state budget during debate. Finance Minister Z. Mendsaikhan said Oyu Tolgoi LLC will transfer the 3 trillion tugrik in three stages.
The budget plans 5.77 trillion tugrik for 815 investment projects and 2.1 trillion tugrik for wage and pension increases, with pensions rising from early 2027.
Inflation accelerated to 13.4% in October, 5.4 points above the Bank of Mongolia target.
Energy Minister B. Naidlaa said a budget of this size, the energy sector’s 479 billion tugrik allocation, is truly insufficient to resolve the sector’s pressing problems with grids, major repairs, stations and infrastructure (eagle.mn).
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State Budget Revenue Reaches 29.7 Trillion Tugrik in First 10 Months of 2026
Published: 2026-11-14
Preliminary budget execution figures for the first 10 months of 2026 show total revenue and grants in the consolidated state budget reached 29.7 trillion tugrik. That is 4.7 trillion tugrik, or 18.7%, more than in the same period of the previous year. A second measure, balanced revenue and grants, reached 26.0 trillion tugrik, up 2.7 trillion tugrik, or 11.5%, from the same period a year earlier. The figures were reported by eagle.mn as preliminary results. The report gave no breakdown by revenue source and no spending data, so the figures cover only income and grants rather than the overall budget balance.
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Infrastructure
Joint Russian-Mongolian study preliminarily concludes Eg River hydropower plant would not harm Selenge River or Lake Baikal
Published: 2026-11-14
A joint study by Mongolian and Russian scientists has preliminarily concluded that the Eg River hydropower plant would not harm the Selenge River or Lake Baikal ecosystems. Academy of Sciences President S. Dembrel presented the findings to Prime Minister N. Uchral.
The study followed a September 3, 2024 memorandum on protecting Lake Baikal and the Selenge River, signed by both countries’ environment ministers. A joint working group studied the project for two years and agreed in principle that it can be built and operated without negative environmental impact.
Uchral said:
“Our goal is to align energy production, rational water use and environmental protection without conflict between them.” - N. Uchral (eagle.mn)
He told ministers to finalize the results with Russia and prepare policy decisions for the cabinet. The scientists are to formally present the preliminary conclusion to the Russian government on November 19.
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Aero Mongolia Delays Ulaanbaatar-Seoul Flights on November 14 After Weather Disruption
Published: 2026-11-14
Aero Mongolia postponed both legs of its November 14 Ulaanbaatar-Seoul round trip, citing disruption from bad weather the previous day. Flight M0601 from Ulaanbaatar to Seoul was moved to a 15:30 departure from 12:10, with the flight scheduled from 15:30 to 19:30 local time. Flight M0602 from Seoul to Ulaanbaatar was moved to 20:30 from 17:30, with the flight scheduled from 20:30 to 23:55 local time. The airline said adverse weather on November 13 disrupted arrival schedules at the airport, which required adjustments to flight connections, crew schedules and aircraft rotation. It asked passengers to check the revised times and arrive early enough to complete check-in and boarding, and it apologized for the inconvenience.
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Ulaanbaatar Deploys 1,153 Workers and 181 Vehicles to Clear Overnight Snow
Published: 2026-11-14
Ulaanbaatar crews are clearing snow and treating roads to prevent ice after about 4 cm of snow fell overnight. According to the Capital City Governor’s Office press department, as of 06:00 the Urban Landscaping Agency, service enterprises from the city’s nine districts and contracted companies had deployed 1,153 workers, 181 vehicles, 122 small devices and 195 blowers. Crews have spread 666.8 tons of salt and 240.9 tons of chemical agent on roads and public areas to prevent slippery surfaces. An earlier tally cited by eagle.mn, from 20:00 the previous day, listed 951 workers, 152 vehicles, 100 small devices, 205 blowers, 252 tons of salt and 56 tons of agent.
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Morit Gobi Oil Opens 3,000-Cubic-Meter Fuel Depot With Rail Unloading
Published: 2026-11-14
Morit Gobi Oil LLC opened a petroleum product depot on November 13, adding 3,000 cubic meters of storage in three 1,000-cubic-meter steel tanks. The site also has a 500-cubic-meter fire water reservoir, loading for four tanker trucks at once, and a 236-meter rail spur that unloads seven rail tank cars at once. The company built it within a year using a Khan Bank project loan, with Chadamgai Construction as general contractor. State Secretary B. Dashpurev of the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources said projects are underway to create storage for three months of national petroleum product consumption by 2028. Company director D. Munkhjargal said:
“We built and commissioned this depot under the government’s policy of increasing oil product storage capacity and raising strategic product reserves.” - D. Munkhjargal (peak.mn)
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Environment
Warning of wet snow and blizzards, with limited road visibility, in eastern parts of central provinces and northern parts of eastern provinces
Published: 2026-11-14
The Agency for Meteorology and Environmental Monitoring warned of wet snow, snow and blizzards on November 14 in eastern parts of the central provinces and northern parts of the eastern provinces, with limited visibility and icy conditions on roads, passes and hills.
Northwesterly winds of 5-10 meters per second were forecast, gusting to 12-14 meters per second in places. Ulaanbaatar was forecast cloudy with light snow, with daytime temperatures falling 7 degrees to between minus 2 and minus 4 Celsius.
Police advised drivers to take care, keep vehicles in good condition and check forecasts before long trips.
The five-day outlook through November 19 shows more snow in several provinces, with nights as cold as minus 25 to minus 30 Celsius in the Darkhad Depression and around the Zavkhan, Zag and Baidrag river headwaters.
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