DUSHANBE, September 20, 2012, Asia-Plus — A liquefied crisis is over in Sughd and the situation has changed for better, Qobiljon Usmonov, the head of the Sughd transport and communications department, told Asia-Plus in an interview.
According to him, three freight cars carrying more than 348 tons of liquefied gas arrived in Sughd on September 17, 100 other tons of liquefied gas were delivered to the province on September 18 and 13 more freight cars carrying more than 450 tons of liquefied gas arrived in Sughd on September 19.
As it had been reported earlier, there were long lines at liquefied natural gas (LNG) refueling stations in Khujand waiting for liquefied gas in mid-September. The majority of LNG refueling stations in the northern Sughd province was not in operation because of acute liquefied gas shortages.
One of the main suppliers of liquefied gas to northern Tajikistan is Khujandnaftugaz (oil and gas supply company).
The province has 230 LNG refueling stations and half of them did not operated in mid-September because of acute shortage of liquefied gas.
Some 65-70 percent of the public transport in northern Tajikistan runs on liquefied gas.
The price of one liter of liquefied gas has risen in Sughd from 1.80 somoni in late July to 3.70 somoni.
Local officials say the price hike has resulted from the rising cost of liquefied gas in Russia and Kazakhstan, which provide the bulk of Tajikistan’s liquefied gas imports. Local residents, however, consider that the price hike has been caused by speculation.
According to the statistical data from the Sughd customs directorate, 49,825 tons of liquefied gas have been delivered to the province over the first eight months of this year, which is 32,125 tons fewer than in the same period last year.
