DUSHANBE, February 10, 2009, Asia-Plus — Uzbekistan has considerably cut natural-gas shipments to Tajikistan.
According to open joint-stock company Tojiktransgaz, Uzbekistan last week cut natural-gas shipments to Tajikistan by 44.4 percent due to the roughly $16 million in arrears that Tojiktransgaz now owes to Uzbekistan.
Since January 1, 2009, Tojiktransgaz’s debt to Uztransgaz, the state gas producer in Uzbekistan, has increased from some $8.7 million to some $16 million, the source at Tojiktransgaz told Asia-Plus today.
“Due to the debt, Uztransgaz has cut natural-gas shipments from 45,000 cubic meters per hour to 25,000 cubic meters,” the source said, noting that Uzbek natural gas is currently distributed to residential customers, Dushanbe cement plant, Talco and the Dushanbe heat and power station.
In the meantime, the debt-ridden fertilizer plant, TajikAzot, is now not in operation due to a lack of gas supplies. TajikAzot reportedly owes Tojiktransgaz $500,000 in unpaid gas bills.
The most incorrigible nonpayer is Barqi Tojik power holding that now owes $9 million to Tojiktransgaz. Residential customers’ gas debts currently amount to 2-3 million US dollars. Among the incorrigible nonpayers are also Tojikcement (Dushanbe cement plant), Talco, and Somonsughdgaz.
