Power rationing partially lifted in Tajikistan

A power rationing that was reintroduced in Tajikistan on February has been partially lifted.  

Rajabali Boyakov, an engineer-in-chief at the Bokhtar Power Distribution Network, which serves 13 cities and districts (Vakhsh Valley) in Khatlon province, told Asia-Plus Thursday afternoon that all consumers in Khatlon province now have an uninterrupted supply of electricity. 

A senior representative of the Khujand Power Distribution Network told Asia-Plus that all consumers in the city of Khujand now receive electricity uninterruptedly since March 1. 

A senior representative of the Sughd Power Distribution Network also said that all consumers in Sughd province now have an uninterrupted supply of electricity.  

He, however, did not specify when the power rationing had been lifted in the province.  

Meanwhile, residential customers in some regions of the country say they have not received uninterrupted power supplies so far.  

Recall, Tajik authorities reintroduced electricity rationing in rural areas on February 1.  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 did not affect Dushanbe and major cities of the country, while residential customers in rural areas do not have electricity on average eight hours a day.        

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.  

Electricity rationing that was introduced in Tajikistan in October last year was lifted on January 11 this year.  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.

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.