In 2025, nearly 3,800 people in Tajikistan were fined for violating electricity consumption rules—commonly referred to as electricity theft—with total fines amounting to approximately 1.8 million somonis. On average, about ten people were fined daily totaling close to 5,000 somonis.
According to the Energy Supervision Agency, which provided the data to Asia-Plus, more than 2,700 cases of illegal electricity use were detected during the year. The total damage caused to the state budget is estimated at 235.601 million somonis.
The highest number of violations was reportedly recorded in cities and districts subordinate to the center, as well as in Sughd and Khatlon provinces.
“In the Bokhtar (Vakhsh) region of Khatlon province, around 500 cases of electricity theft were registered, causing damage amounting to 136.582 million somonis, or more than 100 million kilowatt-hours. In the Kulob region, 281 violations resulted in damage of 612,000 somonis,” the agency reported.
In Sughd province, about 1,000 cases of illegal electricity consumption were identified, with total losses estimated at 82.344 million somonis. In cities and districts subordinate to the center, 517 cases caused damage of 4.165 million somonis. In Dushanbe, nearly 470 cases of illegal electricity use resulted in losses of 11.899 million somoni.
Falsified electricity readings in distribution networks
In addition, in 2024 employees of the Electricity Distribution Networks (EDN) were found to have falsified electricity consumption records totaling 321.464 million kilowatt-hours, causing damage estimated at 106.393 million somoni.
“In particular, falsified electricity data worth 3.2 million somoni were detected at the EDN branch in Dushanbe. In branches operating in cities and districts under republican jurisdiction, falsifications totaling 122.803 million kilowatt-hours caused losses of 55.651 million somoni,” the Energy Supervision Agency said.
At EDN branches in Kulob and Bokhtar, the total damage from falsifications exceeded 41 million somoni. In Guliston and Istaravshan, about 37.5 million kilowatt-hours were falsely recorded, resulting in losses of 6.45 million somoni.
The agency did not specify how many electricity network employees were involved in these violations or how many were held accountable.
Previously, the agency has repeatedly reported the detention of individual power grid employees and the initiation of criminal cases against them. On January 6 this year, two cases of electricity theft were reported involving concealed power line connections from a substation to residential buildings, carried out by EDN employees. Both were fined 2,250 somoni each.
It should be recalled that in 2025 Tajikistan tightened penalties for illegal electricity use and evasion of payment. Under the Criminal Code, offenders may face fines ranging from 27,000 to 90,000 somonis or imprisonment for a term of three to ten years. Administrative liability and fines for electricity theft have also been increased.
