DUSHANBE, Tajikistan, February 1. The rapid economic growth of the country and the impacts of climate change are the main reasons for restrictions on supplying electricity to the population, Tajikistan's Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Daler Juma, said during a press conference, Trend reports.
"The primary reason is the country's economic development, whose growth amounted to 8.3 percent in 2023. Nearly all socio-economic sectors are progressing, and the demand for electricity is increasing," explained the minister.
He mentioned that another factor is climate change, which has reduced water inflow into the country's rivers in recent years. The minister highlighted that the precipitation volume in the current autumn-winter season has decreased by almost 95 percent compared to the same period in 2022–2023.
The minister noted that this has adversely affected the water inflow in the Vakhsh river, where most of the country's power facilities are located. About 95 percent of the electricity is generated by hydropower plants, with the remaining portion coming from thermal and solar stations in smaller capacities.
In rural areas, where approximately 70 percent of the country's population resides, electricity has been provided in limited quantities since September 20 of last year. People in these areas receive electricity for 3 hours in the morning and 5 hours in the evening.
Moreover, Tajikistan increased electricity tariffs starting January 1, 2024. Consumers now pay 30.75 dirams ($0.028) per kilowatt-hour, which is 16 percent more than before.