DUSHANBE, October 13, 2011, Asia-Plus — Nozirjon Yodgori, a spokesman for the Barqi Tojik state electricity company, announced on October 13 the imposition of a new rationing for electricity supplies throughout the country.
The rationing is to go into effect in the regions, with the exception of the capital Dushanbe and other large cities of the country.
“Electrical power will be supplied to the regions in certain volumes and the local authorities will decide themselves how to distribute electricity among consumers,” the spokesman said.
According to him, the new restrictions are to last through March or April 2012 and will reduce the supply of daily electrical power to ten-twelve hours.
“Since October 12, Sughd province has received some 5 million kWh of electricity per day, Khatlon province – 4.5 million kWh of electric per day, and Dushanbe – 4.7 million kWh of electrical power per day,” Yodgori noted.
One of the main reasons for introduction of the electricity rationing is decline in the water inflow rate in the Vakhsh River. On Wednesday (October 12), the water inflow rate in the Vakhsh River was 337 cubic meters per second, while on October 12, 2010, the water inflow rate in the Vakhsh River was 440 cubic meters per second.
The daily generation of electricity has reportedly fallen in the country from 36 million kWh on October 5 to 34 million kWh. “Meanwhile, the country’s power plants were generating up to 38 million kWh of electricity per day in October 2010,” Yodgori noted.
Last year, the electricity rationing was introduced in Tajikistan on November 22, 2010 and lasted through April 2011.
Measures rationing electricity supplies are usually introduced in all regions except Dushanbe and seek to curb the country”s rising electricity consumption. The rationing is introduced in October or November and lasts through April next year. The rationing results in the supply of daily electrical power being reduced to 12 or 10 hours. In addition to curbing rising consumption, the move also stems from a decline in the water level in the country”s reservoirs powering the main hydroelectric power plants.
