The Soviet energy system is the second largest in the world, ranking first in oil production and coal mining, and catching up with the United States in natural gas. Although most of the output is consumed domestically, the issues and problems of the Soviet system intimately affect the critical energy economies around the world. This book analyzes the alternatives that Soviet energy planners face in meeting domestic needs and in exporting high-priced energy products as a source of revenue for the purchase of advanced technology from the West. The authors review Soviet supplies of fossil fuels, hydroelectric and nuclear power, as well as uranium mining centers. They analyze Soviet consumption, the allocation and substitution of fuels, energy modeling, debates and conflicts over energy policy, congruence with world trends, and other critical issues of interest to economists, energy specialists and geographers. The material is based on careful sifting of the vast Soviet literature on the subject, including about 50 daily newspapers and trade journals. A multitude of data unavailable in the past, Soviet production performance in the energy field through 1978, and forecasts for the 1980s are presented. 613 references, 12 figures, 53 tables.