Electricity production is declining, however there will be no limits in winter

The authorities of Tajikistan have confirmed that electricity production has decreased this year compared to the same period last year. At the same time, the company “Barki Tojik” assured that there will be no limit on electricity consumption next winter.

These two messages, published around the same time, have raised a number of questions among the public.

At first glance, these two messages seem contradictory: if production has decreased, how can there be no limit on consumption during the winter period? Of course, there is a possibility that the competent authorities have technical data and calculations to support their statements. Perhaps the water reserves in reservoirs, the introduction of new production capacities, and other factors have led them to this decision. However, until these facts are presented to the public in detail, questions will remain unanswered.

The authorities of Tajikistan always assert that the country has huge reserves of hydropower resources. For years, residents have been told that after the commissioning of new units at the Rogun HPP, problems with energy shortages will gradually be resolved. Despite this, most residents still remember numerous winter periods when electricity was supplied in rural and remote areas for only a few hours a day. For this reason, every time the authorities announce that there will be no more limits, many simply wait to see what the reality will be during the cold winter months.

The issue is not only about the volume of electricity production. For many years, experts have discussed the problems of significant losses in outdated energy systems, the inefficiency of electricity distribution, and the need to modernize infrastructure. If these problems are not fully resolved, an increase in production may not always lead to an improvement in the standard of living for the population.

Today, society needs transparency more than ever. If production has indeed decreased, residents have the right to know why this happened and what measures are being taken to ensure that the electricity shortage does not affect their lives. When such information is openly and thoroughly presented to the public, public trust also grows.

Therefore, the most important assessment of today’s statements by the authorities will not be a press conference by the ministry, but the reality of the winter period. If residents have electricity in their homes, the authorities’ promises can be considered fulfilled. However, if a limit on consumption is reintroduced, society will certainly ask why, despite numerous promises and huge investments in the energy sector, this issue remains unanswered.