DUSHANBE, January 21, 2012, Asia-Plus — The issue of raising electricity prices this year has not yet been considered, Minister of Energy and Industries Gul Sherali told reporters on January 20.
According to him, the electricity prices were supposed to be raised in 2011, but the government decided last year not to raise the electricity rates.
“Tajikistan now has the lowest electricity prices within the CIS area,” said the minister. “Barqi Tojik power holding is not able to repay its debts. If we fail to raise rates gradually, it will not be possible to repay these debts.”
We will recall that current prices of one kWh of electricity are 9 dirams (equivalent to 2.06 cents) for residential customers, 21.3 dirams (4.87 cents) for industrial enterprises, 8.5 dirams (1.95 cents) for federally funded institutions and public utilities, and 0.57 dirams (0.13 cents) for pump stations and electrical transportation. Tajik Aluminum Company (TALCO) pays 8.2 dirams (equivalent to 1.86 cents) for usage of one kWh of electricity.
The minister, however, noted that it is necessary to think twice before raising the electricity rates.
He also noted that Tajikistan now supplies 10-15 megawatt-hour of electricity to Afghanistan per day in order to protect the 220 kV power transmission line from Sangtuda in Tajikistan to Pul-i Khumri in Afghanistan against the looting. “The line must always be under tension in order that looters could not cut the cable,” Gul Sherali said, noting that the cost of Tajik electricity for Afghanistan is currently 3.5 cents per kilowatt-hour.
An official ceremony of inauguration of the Tajik-Afghanistan power transmission line took place on October 27.
On the operation of the Iran-built Sangtuda-2 hydroelectric power plant (HPP), Gul Sherali said the plant has generated electricity since the beginning of the year and it now generates up to 30 megawatt-hour of electricity per day.
Electricity generated by the Sangtuda-2 HPP will be sold at the rate of 2.89 cents per one kWh but beginning from 2015 the rate will be raised annually by 5 percent, the minister said.
