Tajikistan earns over US$4.3 million from January electricity exports

In January, Tajikistan earned more than 4.3 million U.S. dollars from the electricity export, which is near 50 percent, or more than 1.4 million US dollars more compared to January last year and 1.3 million US dollars than in December last year, according to the Agency for Statistics under the President of Tajikistan.   

Tajikistan now supplies electricity to Uzbekistan and northern provinces of Afghanistan within the framework of contracts concluded with power utility companies of these countries.

In 2021, Tajikistan reportedly supplied electricity to Afghanistan at the rate of 3.0 cents per 1 kWh for electric power supplied through 110kV power transmission lines and at the rate of 4.5 cents per 1 kWh for electric power supplied through 220kV power transmission lines. 

Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) noted in mid-January this year that an additional protocol on the supply of Tajik electricity to Afghanistan in 2023 was signed in Istanbul.  The report does not provide the terms of the agreement.

As fa as Uzbekistan is concerned, Tajikistan supplies electric power to this country at the rate of 2.00 cents per 1 kWh only during spring-supper period (May-August).

The low price for electricity supplied to Uzbekistan is due to the fact that Tajikistan, in turn, receives natural gas from Uzbekistan at a reduced price.

Barqi Tojik (Tajikistan’s national power utility company) management assures that in accordance with the concluded agreements, Tajikistan supplies electric power to these countries only during the spring-summer period, when it has surplus electricity and only in insignificant volumes to Afghanistan during the autumn-winter period “in order to ensure the safety of power transmission lines and other equipment.”      

Meanwhile, the press center of the Surkhandarya regional power grids said on January 19 that in conditions of abnormally cold weather, Tajikistan has begun supplying electricity to provide regular energy supply of residential customers and social facilities in Uzbekistan’s Surkhandarya region.

According to the press center, electricity supplied from Tajikistan through regar-500 substation 220kV power transmission lines Regar-Zarchop and Regar-Sherabad since January 19 has provided 70 percent of electricity supply in Shurchin, Altyncai, Kumkurgan and Jarkurgan districts and 90 percent of electricity supply in Bandikhan, Kyzyryk, Sherabad, Baisoun, Sariasiay, Uzun and Denau districts. 

It was noted that since April 2018, Uzbekistan has purchased Tajik electricity depending on the demand for it.

Last year, Tajikistan reportedly earned Tajikistan earned 106 million U.S. dollars from exporting electricity to neighboring countries, which was 10.6 percent more than in 2021.  

In 2022, electric power reportedly accounted for 5.0 percent of Tajikistan’s exports, which is 0.5 percent more compared to 2021.    

Tajikistan has sufficient summer-time (defined as May 1 to September 30) hydropower surpluses to export to the neighboring countries.

According to data from the Agency for Statistics, Tajikistan last year generated about 21.4 billion kWh of electricity, which was 3.8 percent more than in 2021.  

Barqi Tojik top manager Mahmadumar Asozoda told reporters in Dushanbe on February 13 that Tajikistan supplies electricity to Uzbekistan “in order to prepare Tajikistan’s power system to rejoin the Central Asian unified power grid.”  

According to him, there are certain requirements for connection of the country’s power system to the regional power grid.  

“In accordance with these requirements, Tajikistan must supply monthly up to 10 million kwh of electricity to Uzbekistan and up to 5 million kwh of electricity to Kyrgyzstan,” Asozoda said, stressing that these countries must get the power back on to Tajikistan next month.  

Recall, the Minister of Energy and Water Resources Daler Juma told reporters in Dushanbe on January 30 that the process of Tajikistan’s rejoining the Central Asian unified power grid will be completed in April. According to him, the project is about 85% complete to date.  The minister, however, said the connection of power grids in the northern part of the country to the regional power supply system will take more time.