DUSHANBE, February 7, Asia-Plus — Uzbekistan’s state energy company Uzbekenergo has denied reports released by some media that Uzbekistan has allegedly suspended electricity supplies to Tajikistan since February 4 as “unfounded,” Press-uz.info said.
A source close to Uzenergo’s administration said that Uzbekistan did not suspend electricity supplies to Tajikistan, according Press-uz.info. Unusually cold weather has led to a higher demand for power in Uzbekistan itself, and therefore, sometimes electricity just has not reached Tajikistan, the source said.
The situation has to date improved and electricity is supplied to Tajikistan in accordance with an agreement reached between the two countries, according to Press-uz.info.
The source at Barqi Tojik (Tajik electric systems) power holding has also confirmed this information. According to him, Uzbekistan has supplied electrical power to Tajikistan since late January at the rate of 2.2 million kWh per day. “Indeed, there were short disruptions but the supply was resumed as the problem was resolved,” the source said.
However, the Barqi Tojik source noted that there had been quite long power supply disruptions during the second half of January. But those disruptions resulted from increasing domestic demand for power in Uzbekistan itself because of cold weather, the source said.
This year, Central Asia has been experiencing unusually cold weather that has increased domestic electricity consumption across the region and led to widespread power outages across Tajikistan.
