DUSHANBE, January 26, Asia-Plus – Electricity rationing has been introduced in some areas of Dushanbe.
According to Barqi Tojik (Tajik electric system) power holding, the rationing was introduced on January 25 and will last until February 4. A source at the Barqi Tojik said that the rationing resulted in the supply of daily electrical power being reduced to 18 hours – the electricity supplies to these areas of Dushanbe will be cut off from 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.
According to the source, the move stems from a decline in the water level in the reservoir of the Norak hydroelectric power station (HPS). In addition to this, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan have reduced electricity supplies to Tajikistan following increase in consumption of electrical power in these countries in connection with cold weather.
Meanwhile, Minister of Energy and Industry Sherali Gulov on January 24 told journalists that since the beginning of the year, Tajikistan has received electricity from Uzbekistan at the rate of little more than 2 million kWh per day, “which is not enough to provide the public and enterprises with electrical power adequately.”
The minister noted that electricity prices will have increased this year at least by 30 percent. According to him, the country should raise the electricity rates in order to recoup the investments Tajikistan is making to construct hydropower plants and power-transmissions lines. According to the minister, an average price of one kWh of electricity will have reached 7 dirams (some two cents) by 2010.
Current price of electricity for the public is 1.6 dirams per one kWh for using up to 250 kWh and 2.7 dirams for usage in excess of this amount.
