The average cost of electricity in Tajikistan in the first half of this year, excluding Tajik Aluminum Company OJSC (TALCO), decreased by 3% (by 0.89 diram) compared to the same period in 2021, the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of the Republic of Tajikistan reports.
It is noted that, taking into account TALCO, the average cost of electricity for this period decreased by 1.8% (by 0.47 dirams).
The Ministry of Energy emphasizes that the average cost of electricity in the first half of this year, excluding TALCO, amounted to 28.16 dirams (2.5 cents), and taking into account this company – 25.96 dirams (2.3 cents).
This is due to the reduction in the standard rate of value added tax (VAT) from January 1 this year to 15% from 18% earlier.
It should be noted that TALCO is the largest consumer of electricity in the country, which accounts for about 20% of the total consumption in the country.
This company receives electricity on a preferential basis: from May to September it pays 7.20 dirams (0.64 cents), and from October to April – 11.80 dirams (1 cent).
The average tariff for TALCO is almost 6 times lower than for other industrial enterprises of the country, which pay 55.14 dirams (4.9 cents) for each kilowatt.
With such low tariffs, TALCO manages to be among the two largest debtors for electricity.
The debts of the aluminum giant, according to Barki Tojik, increased by almost 70 million somoni in 2021 and reached about 460 million somoni (more than $40 million) by the beginning of this year.
