Founded in 2001. SUEK was based on the idea of Russian entrepreneurs Andrey Melnichenko and Sergey Popov to consolidate disparate coal enterprises throughout Russia and create a large industrial holding. The formation began on the basis of coal mining enterprises in the Chita region, Buryatia and the Irkutsk region. In 2002, SUEK included enterprises in Khakassia and the Krasnoyarsk Territory, in 2003 in the Khabarovsk and Primorsky Territories and in the Kemerovo Region. The company is becoming number one in Russia in terms of coal production.