DUSHANBE, February 2, 2009, Asia-Plus -- Barqi Tojik power holding is using all resources it has to provide the public and industrial enterprises in Dushanbe with electricity, Bahrom Azimov, first deputy head of Barqi Tojik, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

According to him, electricity rationing introduced in Dushanbe for the period from January 28 to February 10 will not be tightened; “on contrary, it even may be eased if the rate of water inflow into the Norak reservoir increases.”

Azimov noted that residential customers in Dushanbe currently had electricity on average 19-20 hours per day, while the electricity rationing should have been resulted in the supply of daily electricity to residential customers being reduced to 15 hours.

“The situation may deteriorate only due to bad weather conditions, because intensely cold weather will result in water inflow rate in the Vakhsh River decreasing,” the energy official said.

On the resumption of Turkmen electricity  deliveries to Tajikistan via Uzbek power systems, Azimov said that Tajikistan was ready to pay transit fee to Uzbekistan.

“As is known, the Uzbek side has blamed the interruption of Turkmen electricity deliveries to Tajikistan on a malfunction at the Uzbek Qaraqul substation, which is used for Turkmen power deliveries to Tajikistan,” said he.  “We are ready to conduct negotiations with our Uzbek colleagues on transit fees across Uzbekistan.”