Electricity losses in Tajikistan remain at a high level, despite the holding of various events with multimillion-dollar expenses.
According to the country's electric power companies, the total volume of losses (during its generation, transmission and distribution) in the first half of this year amounted to just over 2 billion 415 million kilowatt-hours. In fact, the same amount of electricity was lost in the same period of 2022 – 2 billion 417 million kWh.
In particular, energy losses at HPPs and CHP plants, according to OJSC "Barki Tojik", amounted to about 39 million kilowatt-hours or 0.49% of the total output. These losses were approximately at the same level in the same period of 2022 (37 million kWh or 0.48%).
Losses on high-voltage lines and substations, according to OJSC “Transmitting Electric Networks”, in the first half of this year amounted to 376 million kWh (3.47%). In the corresponding period of the previous year, 380 million kWh was lost (3.37%).
Losses in the distribution of electricity amounted to over 2 billion 067 million kWh (22.6%), whereas in the same period of 2022 they amounted to 2 billion kWh (23%), according to OJSC "Distribution Electric Networks".
An overwhelmingly large amount of energy, as in previous years, is lost during its distribution to end users, and refers to commercial losses (theft).
The electricity distribution company claims that numerous measures are being carried out to reduce the level of losses, in particular the modernization of infrastructure. On the balance sheet of this company are transformer substations, power transformers, low-voltage lines, electricity meters and other equipment necessary for energy distribution.
The President of Tajikistan, Emomali Rahmon, in his last message, announced on December 23 last year, said that a fifth of all generated energy is lost in the country, and technical losses of electricity negatively affect the financial situation of companies and enterprises in the sphere.
The President stressed that more than 10.7 billion somoni were spent on the repair and reconstruction of the country's electric networks during the period of independence. However, the loss of electricity, according to him, "still causes concern"
The Ministry of Energy and OJSC "Distribution Electric Networks" have pledged to ensure the high-quality and timely implementation of projects to reduce losses, the total budget of which is 2.4 billion somoni.
These projects involve the connection of more than 800 thousand electricity meters in individual cities and districts.
The Ministry of Energy was also instructed, together with companies and enterprises of the industry, to take urgent measures to create a unified and centralized billing system.
According to the president, by connecting smart meters, it is possible to reduce electricity losses by up to 9% by 2025.
A year earlier, the president said in his message that the existing capacities are sufficient to provide full year-round supply to all domestic consumers, but the losses are very large and have already reached 16% of the total output.
"Everything is being done," the president said at the time, pointing to the commercial nature of the losses.
He noted that the relevant structures are conducting inspections on this issue.
According to “Barki Tojik”, about 10 billion 653.3 million kWh of electricity was produced in the first half of this year, which is 341.2 million kWh more compared to the same period in 2022.
