DUSHANBE, April 8, 2011, Asia-Plus — On Thursday April 7, President Emomali Rahmon held a meeting to discuss the current power supply situation in the country, according to the presidential press service.
Abdullo Yorov, head of Barqi Tojik power holding (the state-owned utility responsible for generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity), and Gul Sherali, Minister of Energy and Industries, reported on the power supply situation.
They noted that they main reason for toughening electricity-rationing measures in the country is the abnormally weak water flow in the Vakhsh River.
Abdullo Yorov and Gul Sherali stressed that the power supply situation will improve only after temperatures rise to 25-30 degrees Celsius.
The president ordered relevant bodies to take adequate measures to improve power supply to the population. Rahmon also called on electricity consumers to use electrical power economically.
It was also noted that rumors that Tajikistan is currently supplying electricity to Pakistan are absolutely baseless because there is no power transmission line between the two countries, the residential press service said.
We will recall that electricity rationing is usually introduced in Tajikistan in November and lasts through April next year. Measures seeking to curb the country’s rising electricity consumption are usually introduced in all regions except Dushanbe. In addition to curbing rising consumption, the move also stems from a decline in the water level in the reservoir powering the Norak hydroelectric power plant (HPP).
This year, electricity rationing was imposed on the Tajik capital as well. Since March 25, electricity supply to residential customers in some areas of Dushanbe has been cut off from 11:00 pm to 5:00 am; there are no limitations on power to strategic buildings in the city. In the meantime, residents of district administrative centers now have electricity for only and half hours per day.
