Tajikistan supplied electricity to neighboring countries worth more than $82.3 million from January to August 2024, the country's statistics agency informed. This is $2.8 million (3.3%) less than in the same period of 2023, Asiaplus.tj reports.
Electricity exports accounted for 6.5% of the country's total exports over the 8-month period.
Electricity production in Tajikistan during this time amounted to around 15.4 billion kilowatt-hours, of which about 1 billion kilowatt-hours (6.5% of total production) were exported.
More than 80% of electricity exports went to Afghanistan, with the remaining 20% to Uzbekistan.
Tajikistan has agreements to export electricity in 2024 only with these two countries.
According to Barqi Tojik, the main electricity supplier in Tajikistan, electricity exports to Uzbekistan take place only during the summer, while supplies to Afghanistan will continue during the fall-winter season, though in smaller volumes—“exclusively for infrastructure maintenance.”
The company’s management stated that during the colder months, when Tajikistan itself faces electricity shortages, exports to Afghanistan decrease tenfold—from 400 MW to 40 MW.
It was previously reported that Tajikistan and Kazakhstan signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which includes electricity supplies generated by the Rogun Hydropower Plant until 2032. The availability of agreements for electricity supplies to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan is one of the conditions for external financing of the Rogun Hydropower Plant project.
Electricity shortages and limited power supply to the population in Tajikistan typically begin at the end of September or early October and usually continue until April. Lifting restrictions depends on favorable weather conditions and increased water inflow in the Vakhsh River.
Meanwhile, Tajikistan's Ministry of Energy does not rule out electricity shortages during the upcoming fall-winter season.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
September 19, 2024