DUSHANBE, October 28, 2010, Asia-Plus — Barqi Tojik power holding (Tajik electricity supplier) offers to raise electricity rates beginning on January 1, 2011, the Barqi Tojik head Abdullo Yorov remarked at a news conference in Dushanbe on October 27.
According to him, they have already submitted their suggestions for consideration to the government. “We offer to raise electricity rate for residential customers by 20 percent and for legal entities by 25 percent,” said Yorov, “But the government may not to endorse these rates and set lower rates; anyway, it is necessary to raise the electricity rates.” All rates will be coordinated with the antimonopoly commission, he said.
We will recall that international donor organizations had previously recommended Tajikistan to increase an average price of one kWh to 2.5 cents by 2010 in order to make the energy sector paying and attractive for potential foreign investors.
Every year, a 25-percent rise in electricity prices is introduced in the country twice a year. This year, the electricity prices were raised by 20-25 percent only once, in January, and current prices are 9.0 dirams for residential customers, 8.2 dirams for the Tajik Aluminum Company (TALCO), 21.3 dirams for other industrial and non-industrial enterprises, 8.5 dirams for federally funded institutions and communal services, and 5.7 dirams for pump stations and electric transport.
