DUSHANBE, September 27, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- To reduce commercial losses in the power system, Dushanbe energy authorities are replacing induction electricity meters with the electronic ones.  

Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, Mahmadamin Aminov, technical director of the energy losses control team within Barqi Tojik power holding, said that the replacement of meters is part of the Energy Loss Reduction Project (ELRP) co-funded by the World Bank and the Swiss Government through its State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO).

According to him, Chinese company has been granted a contract on providing the electronic electricity meters.  The new electronic meters are installed free of charge, at the expense of the Tajik power holding and donors that are co-financing the project.    

“Besides, Barqi Tojik is installing a billing system that will allow tracking customer usage of services, and calculating the impact on a customer''s account, based on the price of the services,” the technical director said, adding that the electronic meters keep information during three years and customer may address complaints against power-distributor to court. 

The work on installation of the electronic meters in Dushanbe is supposed to be finished in December 2009.   

The ELPR, designed for 2007-2011, was developed by the World Bank jointly with the Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoEI) and aims at creating a solid economic basis for both the electricity and gas sectors.  WB provided the Tajik government with a total of US$ 18 millions, divided into a credit of US$ 15 millions and a grant of US$ 3 millions. Upon request of the Tajik government, the Swiss government co-financed the ELRP with a grant of US$ 8 millions through SECO.