Tajikistan will reduce electricity exports and increase water reserves ahead of winter as the government seeks to improve domestic power supplies after last year’s seasonal shortages.
Energy and Water Resources Minister Daler Juma said households should receive a more reliable electricity supply than during the previous heating season, despite the country’s continuing power deficit.
He said the government was taking a range of measures to strengthen the electricity system before demand peaks in the colder months.
The preparations come as Tajikistan is already facing water shortages. According to Juma, experts link the low water levels to climate change, prompting the government to conserve more water in reservoirs while cutting electricity exports to support hydropower generation during the autumn and winter.
Officials are also encouraging households and businesses to install solar panels and use electricity more efficiently, particularly during peak demand.
Juma said temporary restrictions on electricity consumption could still be introduced during periods of maximum load, drawing on measures used last winter.
He added that maintenance work on the national electricity network had been completed and that technical preparations for the coming heating season were in place. The government hopes the combined measures will ease pressure on the power system during the coldest months.
Seasonal electricity shortages remain a long-standing challenge in Tajikistan. From October to April, the government typically imposes electricity rationing, with rural areas usually affected first.
The shortages are driven by reduced water availability for hydropower generation and steadily rising domestic demand.
While the current measures are intended to help the country through the coming winter, officials say the long-term solution lies in expanding generating capacity.
The government’s strategy centres on the Rogun hydropower plant, which it sees as the cornerstone of Tajikistan’s future energy independence.
Over the past year, the country’s leadership has repeatedly said seasonal electricity rationing should end by 2027, when the plant’s third generating unit is expected to enter service.
Construction of the Rogun project on the Vakhsh River began in 1987 but was suspended during the 1990s following the collapse of the Soviet Union and Tajikistan’s civil war.
Although several attempts were made to revive the project in the early 2000s, progress was repeatedly delayed by the scale of the investment required. Construction officially resumed in 2016.
The project is estimated to cost around $6.3 billion to complete. Once all six generating units are operational, Rogun is expected to have an installed capacity of 3.6 gigawatts, making it the largest hydropower plant in Central Asia.
Its 335-metre dam is also expected to become the world’s tallest rock-fill dam.
Beyond generating electricity, the project is designed to regulate water resources, reduce the risk of flooding and help mitigate drought.
The government says the plant should eventually eliminate seasonal electricity rationing, meet domestic demand during the winter months and strengthen Tajikistan’s position as a regional electricity exporter.
Only four commodity vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, following 13 transits a day earlier, as disruptions continue to restrict traffi...
New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon said on Monday that his party will introduce a bill to ban children under 16 from using social media. ...
Russia reported a major fire at an Ozon logistics hub in Krasnodar after a drone attack on Monday, while Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelens...
Iran on Saturday denounced U.S. plans to announce new sanctions that could put further strain on the Islamic Republic's economy and have an impact on its most important trading partners including China.
A large-scale drone attack has hit Russia's Samara region, damaging facilities and disrupting operations at an Ozon logistics complex, according to regional authorities and the company.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has rejected calls for a wartime election, arguing that holding a vote while Russia's full-scale invasion continues would divide the country and undermine national unity.
Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have elevated bilateral ties with a Treaty on Eternal Friendship signed by Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent on 23 August. The leaders also agreed to expand trade, investment, transport, and regional cooperation.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief. Here are the top news stories for the 22nd of August, covering the latest developments.
Only four commodity vessels crossed the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday, following 13 transits a day earlier, as disruptions continue to restrict traffic through the key energy chokepoint.
A newly created pro-government political party has secured a commanding victory in Kazakhstan's snap parliamentary election, according to exit polls, strengthening President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's influence at a pivotal moment in the country's political transition.
Kazakhstan has concluded its first election to the new unicameral Kurultai, with turnout reaching 74.19 per cent, as vote counting begins following a major overhaul of the country’s parliamentary system.
Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan have elevated bilateral ties with a Treaty on Eternal Friendship signed by Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent on 23 August. The leaders also agreed to expand trade, investment, transport, and regional cooperation.
Syria has called for international action after an Israeli drone strike hit a civilian vehicle near Damascus, warning that continued Israeli attacks could deepen instability and put civilians at greater risk.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment