QURGHON TEPPA, April 11, 2009, Asia-Plus -- The Southern Electric Systems (Khatlon state power-distributor enterprise) has appealed to the Kahtlon Regional Economic Court over electricity debts of ten local organizations and enterprises.

Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, the power-distributor enterprise head Mahmad Samadov noted that the Khatlon electricity debts now amounted to 43 million somoni.  The most incorrigible nonpayers are the Kahtlon water management enterprises (14 million somoni) and the Tajik-Cypriot joint venture Tajikazot (7 million somoni).  The residential customers now owe 13 million somoni to the Southern Electric Systems.

According to him, the rate of collection of the funds for the first quarter of this year has amounted to 78 percent (6.1 million somoni).

On the power deliveries to the province, Samadov said that Khatlon currently received 6.7 million kWh of electricity per day, with 3.2 million kWh of this amount being supplied to the city of Qurghon Teppa.

This amount is not enough to abandon the electricity rationing in the province, and therefore, the supply of daily electricity to residential customers is cut off for five hours in the night (from 24:00 to 5:00), Samadov said.