Is the light limit coming back? Tajik Development Gateway in Russian.

In Tajikistan, entrepreneurs suffer losses due to power outages. In the areas adjacent to the capital, electricity is supplied from 5 to 10 a.m., and in the evening from 4 to 11 p.m. Meanwhile, the Barki Tojik company denies reports about the introduction of a limit on the supply of electricity.

"WHAT CAN THERE BE REPAIR WORK AT 11 O'clock AT NIGHT?"

Romizi Khairiddin, an entrepreneur from the village of Arbobhotun in the Rudaki district, says that the restriction on electricity consumption has been going on for a week. “We asked the reason for the blackout. They say that renovation work is underway. Well, what kind of repair work can there be at 11 o’clock at night?” our interlocutor asks.

Romizi Khayriddin says that many entrepreneurs and owners of retail outlets are forced to refuse to sell some products.

“Yesterday we had to throw away melted ice cream worth 340-350 somoni. Due to the lack of electricity, refrigerators do not work and food spoils,” he says.

According to another entrepreneur, in this situation, inspections by Tajikstandart employees have become more frequent. “They don’t even want to hear about the fact that there is no electricity. A fine is issued immediately. We only brought fresh dairy products yesterday, but they have already begun to spoil,” says Idibeki Nematullo.

In Tajikistan, without electricity, life practically comes to a standstill. When the lights come on, people start watching TV, cooking dinners, and charging their mobile phones.

"BARKI TOCHIK": GETTING READY FOR WINTER

The Barki Tojik energy holding says that power outages in Tajikistan are temporary and are associated with preventive and repair work in preparation for the winter period. “Our specialists repair power lines and substations, as well as other equipment throughout the country. Such preventive work is carried out every year on the eve of winter. And they are related to the fact that the company must ensure reliable and uninterrupted operation of energy transmission networks in the winter,” Nozirjon Yodgori, an official representative of the energy distribution company, told Radio Ozodi.

Meanwhile, Gulomiddin Saifiddinov, a Tajik expert and former employee of the Barki Tojik energy holding, says that low rainfall this year has led to a decrease in river flows and, as a result, less electricity has been generated than last year. “In August, the average monthly inflow of the Vakhsh River was 1,382 cubic meters per second, which is 6.4% less than the same period in 2017,” our interlocutor said.

WILL THERE BE NO MORE LIMITS?

In Tajikistan, in the previous autumn-winter period, a limit on electricity supply was not introduced for the first time in more than 20 years. The Barki Tojik energy holding then reported that during this time, new small hydroelectric power stations and thermal power plants were built in the republic, which makes it possible to spend the winter without a limit on electricity.

Before this, the country's population experienced more than one harsh winter. Thus, in March 2014, electricity was supplied to rural areas for four to five hours a day. Residents of some areas were left without electricity for days. The reason for introducing the limit was a sharp cooling in high mountain areas, a slowdown in the melting of glaciers and the associated decrease in water flow on the Vakhsh River.

Tajikistan has the largest hydropower resources in the region, estimated at 527 billion kilowatt-hours per year.

25.10.2018 08:12

Tajikistan has exported more than 2.5 billion kWh of electricity worth $72.5 million since the beginning of this year. According to the report “Monitoring and Early Warning in Tajikistan”, this volume is almost 50% more than the same period last year.

According to the source, the main volume of exports falls on Uzbekistan and Afghanistan. In particular, more than 1.3 billion kWh of electricity was sold to neighboring Uzbekistan.

According to the document, the peak of Tajik electricity exports to neighboring countries occurs in April-August. In September, the volume of electricity sales abroad decreased slightly.

During this month, only 350 million kWh of electricity was exported, which is almost 24% of the country’s total output. The total volume of electricity production in September amounted to 1 billion 461 million kWh.

Meanwhile, some regions of Tajikistan, especially rural areas, have been receiving electricity hourly since September of this year. According to residents from the regions, electricity supply is 4-5 hours a day.

In turn, the state energy holding Barki Tojik denies the introduction of an energy limit and explains the power outages as preventive work.

Power outages began in the Kulyab region of Tajikistan. In some areas, electricity is supplied for ten hours a day, Asia-Plus reports.

Residents of the Kulyab region are complaining that their electricity has been turned off since September 19. In the Farkhor, Hamadoni and Vose districts, electricity is supplied from 5 to 8 a.m. and in the evening from 5 to 00 p.m.

The state energy holding Barki Tojik states that this is not an energy limit, but only prevention. Local specialists of the holding say that they are saving Nurek water: there is a very low water inflow there, because the water of the Vakhsh River is used to fill the Rogun reservoir.

“We have a verbal instruction from the management of Barki Tojik to turn off the light supply on an hourly basis. This is due to the small amount of water entering the Nurek reservoir. The first unit of the Rogun hydroelectric power station is expected to be put into operation soon, so part of the water remains in the Rogun reservoir, and the inflow of water into the Nurek reservoir has decreased,” explained Zarif Tabarov, deputy head of Shabakahoi Barki Kulob LLC.

According to the specialist, if the condition of the Nurek reservoir is not maintained now, then difficulties may arise in winter, since such low water levels in September have never been observed in Nurek before.

Deputy Chairman of Barki Tojik, Executive Director of the Department of Electrical Distribution Networks Mavzhuda Kholikzoda said that in connection with scheduled repair work to prepare for the winter period, local power outages are possible in all regions of Tajikistan, but they are temporary and occur due to for repairing power lines and substations to ensure stable operation in winter.

Last October, Barki Tojik announced that the supply of electricity would not be interrupted in the autumn-winter period of 2017, since new small hydroelectric power stations and thermal power plants were built in the republic, which allows us to spend the winter this year without a limit on electricity. President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon said that the republic plans to completely abandon the introduction of restrictions on the supply of electricity in the near future. He recalled that at the end of 2018 the first two units of the Rogun HPP will be launched, after which restrictions on electricity consumption will cease.

In 2016, the limit on electricity consumption in the regions of Tajikistan was officially introduced on November 1. Then the restrictions did not affect only the capital and large cities.

Electricity restrictions in Tajikistan have been introduced annually for the past 20 years, lasting from approximately mid-autumn to mid-spring. The limits, as a rule, do not apply to the capital and the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), which is provided by the commercial energy company Pamir Energy. The problem is that in cold weather the republic experiences an acute shortage of electricity in the amount of 2.2-2.5 billion kilowatt-hours and is forced to reduce its supply to the population and enterprises, because of which the socio-economic development of the country is seriously hampered.

In Tajikistan, no limit on electricity supply will be introduced in the autumn-winter period, the Barki Tojik energy holding announced on October 24.

Small hydroelectric power stations, as well as thermal power plants, have been built in the country, which allows you to spend the winter without a limit on electricity, the company said in a statement.

At the same time, Barki Tojik asks the population to use electricity carefully, avoid waste and promptly pay bills for used electricity

recalled that last year on these days the population already received electricity at the limit - only 10 hours a day.

“But, as you can see, today is October 14, and the limit has not been introduced. We strive to completely abandon the practice of introducing a limit. But everything depends on the residents of the country themselves, in particular on entrepreneurs, how they will manage electricity,” the president noted.

The head of state also said that at the end of next year the first unit of the Rogun hydroelectric power station will be launched, followed by the second, after which restrictions on electricity consumption in the country will become history.

Last year, the limit on electricity consumption in the regions of Tajikistan was officially introduced on November 1. Then the restrictions did not affect only the capital and large cities. On January 14, the limit on electricity supply was lifted throughout the country. President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon, in his address to the people, called on the population to save electricity and pay bills for used electricity on time. “Removing the limit allows us to reduce the life worries of our compatriots and create more conditions for the steady development of the country’s economy.”

The head of state recalled that the country was not able to fully supply even the capital and other industrial cities with electricity. “In order to eliminate this unpleasant situation, two large and dozens of small hydroelectric power stations, high-voltage power lines and powerful electrical substations were gradually built in the country. Thanks to the construction of a 500-kilovolt South-North power transmission line, modernization and reconstruction of existing energy facilities, a unified energy system of the country was created,” the address said.

Let us remember that in the 90s, the supply of electricity to the population was constantly deteriorating, and in 1996 a limit was introduced for the first time - the supply of light was reduced to 6 hours a day.

In 2009, an acute shortage of electricity arose in Tajikistan due to the cessation of interaction between Tajikistan and neighboring countries in the framework of commercial supplies of electricity through the unified energy system of Central Asia. The country lost the opportunity to receive 1.2 billion kWh of Turkmen electricity due to the fact that Tashkent refused to pass this electricity through its electrical networks. The system of electricity exchange in the border areas of neighboring countries was also destroyed. Each country was forced to extend electrical networks from the center to the border regions. Uzbekistan has built the Tashkent-Guzor power line. Tajikistan has decided to build a North-South power transmission line. New capacities were put into operation in Tajikistan, which made it possible to virtually provide the country with electricity in full all year round.

Today, in the summer, Tajikistan exports approximately 800 million kWh of electricity to Afghanistan. Now the capacity of Tajikistan, which amounts to about 3.6 billion kW-hours in the summer, remains unclaimed.

The Minister of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan, Usmonali Usmonzoda, said in July this year that Dushanbe is ready to establish import and export of electricity with Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries.

"Copyright (C) 2010 RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with permission from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty"

At the same time, there are no documents on the official website of the president, including those related to increasing electricity prices.

From next month, residents of the republic will have to pay 15% more for each kW - 19.37 dirams ($0.02, or 1.35 rubles at the rate of the National Bank of the Republic of Tajikistan as of 10/02/2018) instead of the current 16.85 dirams ($0.017, or 1.17 rubles). At the same price, Tajikistan exports electricity to Uzbekistan (and already dollars).

The cost of electricity will increase by the same amount for all categories of consumers: industrial and non-industrial enterprises will pay 47.13 dirams (0.05 dollars or 3.29 rubles) for 1 kW instead of 40.99 dirams (0.043 dollars, or 2.86 rubles) , and in the public sector, public utilities and sports complexes - also 19.37 dirams instead of 16.85 dirams.

The only enterprise for which tariffs will remain unchanged, as in previous years, will be the main consumer of production in the country - the State Unitary Enterprise "Tajik Aluminum Company" (). She will pay 1.6-2.7 times less for 1 kW than the population - 7.2 dirams ($0.007, or 0.5 rubles) from May 1 to September 30 and 11.8 dirams ($0.012, or 0.82 rubles) from October 1 to April 30.

This time, another enterprise appeared in the government decree that will receive electricity at preferential tariffs - the Tajik Metallurgical Plant, which began operating at the end of 2016. For him, 1 kW will cost 8.28 dirams ($0.009, or 0.58 rubles) from April 1 to September 30 and 47.13 dirams ($0.05, or 3.29 rubles) from October 1 to March 31.

The cost of electricity in the Republic of Tatarstan increased in October last year.

Over five years, electricity tariffs for the population of Tajikistan (taking into account the increase in November) (+76%) - in 2013, 1 kW cost 11 dirams ($0.012, or 0.77 rubles).

International financial organizations, including the Asian Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the World Bank, regularly declare the need to increase electricity tariffs in Tajikistan. The latter, “in order to encourage the rationalization of energy use,” recommends increasing the price per 1 kW for citizens of the country to 3.5 cents (since November 1, only 2 cents), noting that the current cost covers only half of the cost of generating electricity. At the same time, the World Bank notes that “the government needs to develop mechanisms to mitigate the negative impact of increasing electricity tariffs on the poor and vulnerable segments of the population.”

At the same time, the main supplier of Tajik electricity (both to the domestic and foreign markets), OJSC Barki Tojik, is in a difficult financial situation and ends each year with losses of tens of millions of dollars. At the end of the first half of 2018, the energy holding’s debt, excluding loans, amounted to 4.145 billion somoni ($440 million, or 29 billion rubles). Most of the company's debts are owed to hydroelectric power plants (53.6%) and Orienbank (43.4%). Barki Tojik owes another 11 billion somoni ($1.2 billion, or 77 billion rubles) on loans received for investment projects. Thus, the total debt exceeds 15.1 billion somoni ($1.6 billion, or 106 billion rubles).