In the first seven months of 2026, electricity losses in certain areas of the Khatlon region have surpassed 20 percent. This was reported on August 12 during a working meeting in the city of Bokhtar, attended by Tajikistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Usmonali Usmonzoda. The meeting addressed issues related to preventing illegal and improper use of […]
In the first seven months of 2026, electricity losses in certain areas of the Khatlon region have surpassed 20 percent.
This was reported on August 12 during a working meeting in the city of Bokhtar, attended by Tajikistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Usmonali Usmonzoda.
The meeting addressed issues related to preventing illegal and improper use of electricity, reducing losses, and collecting payments for consumed electricity.
Officials indicated that additional measures are necessary to reduce losses. However, the report suggests that the causes of electricity losses are not solely technical; some responsible individuals and residents also bear some blame.
According to information presented at the working meeting, electricity losses for the first seven months of 2026 at the Bokhtar branch of the “Distribution Electric Networks” company amounted to 19.62 percent. This figure is 6.42 percent lower compared to the same period last year, yet it remains high.
The situation is even more critical in other districts: in the Abdurakhmoni Jomi district, losses reached 26.04 percent; in Kushoniyon, 24.97 percent; in Vakhsh district, 24.26 percent; in the Jaloliddin Rumi district, the figure was 23.06 percent; in the Khoroson district, 22.62 percent; and in Jaihun, 20.30 percent.
In other words, in some areas, nearly a quarter of electricity is lost before it even reaches consumers, either during calculations or payment collection processes. These figures raise a serious question: if such losses have persisted for years, what is the underlying problem?
Officials attribute part of the losses to outdated power lines, transformers, and electrical equipment. However, they also confirmed that theft is a significant issue: unauthorized connections, meter tampering, concealment of actual consumption volumes, and electricity theft remain among the primary causes of losses.
Experts note that this situation indicates that the issue extends beyond merely reconstructing power lines. If illegal electricity use and inaccurate calculationsâoften conducted by inspectors for a share of the illegally obtained fundsâcontinue, even a complete overhaul of the entire infrastructure will not fully resolve the problem.
On the other hand, collecting funds for consumed electricity also remains a key issue discussed at the meeting. While the “Medium-Term Development Program of Tajikistan” aims for 100 percent payment collection, the rise in losses and the population’s debts indicate a significant gap between the program’s goals and the actual state of the power networks.
Now, officials must report not only on reducing losses but also clarify what portion of the 20 percent or more losses in some areas is related to technical issues with power lines and what part is due to illegal use or insufficient oversight.
Experts believe that until the exact causes of electricity losses are identified and accountability among responsible entities is ensured, merely reducing loss figures will not solve the problem.