Tajik authorities are introducing electricity rationing in rural areas starting from today. Meanwhile, residential customers in rural areas complain that contrary to president’s decree they have not received uninterrupted power supplies so far.
Tajikistan’s power utility company Barqi Tojik released a statement saying that “in order to prevent power shortage and negative consequences for the socio-economic sphere of the country, restrictions on the power supply will be introduced in the country starting from February 1.”
The rationing will not affect Dushanbe and major cities of the country.
The statement notes that in January this year electricity generation in the country increased by 300 million kWh or 14 percent compared to the same period last year.
“Increase in demand for electric power has caused an increase in the load on the electricity transmission lines and transformers and negatively affected water and energy resources of the reservoir [powering the Nurek hydropower plant],” the statement adds.
Meanwhile, residential customers in rural areas complain that contrary to president’s decree they have not received uninterrupted power supplies so far.
Recall, Tajikistan’s power utility company Barqi Tojik has said households in rural areas will receive uninterrupted supplies of electricity starting from January 11. At the same time, Barqi Tojik pleaded with the public to avoid excessive use so as not to strain the grid.
A state television report attributed the end of the power rationing to President Emomali Rahmon’s concern over the particularly chilly weather gripping the country.
Under a power rationing that came into force in October, residential customers in rural areas were starved of electricity between 10:00 pm and 5:00 am daily.
Residential customers in rural areas said they received uninterrupted power supplies only on January 11and electricity outages began just the next day. They have not had electricity between 11:00 pm and 5:00 am daily.
Meanwhile, relevant agencies noted in response to widespread public complaints that repair works might have caused interruptions in the electricity power transmission in some areas.
Tajikistan struggles with electricity rationing 30 years after independence, despite long-held dreams of becoming an energy export powerhouse.
Measures rationing electricity supplies are usually introduced in all regions of the country except Dushanbe, regional administrative centers and major cities of the country and they seek to curb the country's rising electricity consumption. 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.
