DUSHANBE, October 8, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Electricity rationing has been introduced in rural areas of Tajikistan.

Nozir Yodgori, a spokesman for Barqi Tojik (the state-owned utility responsible for generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity in Tajikistan), told Asia-Plus Monday afternoon that the rationing, which went into effect on October 7, resulted in the supply of daily electrical power in rural areas being reduced to fourteen hours – six hours in the morning (from 4:00 am to 10:00 am) and eight hours in the evening (from 16:00 pm to 24:00). 

Electricity rationing has not affected cities and district administrative centers, the spokesman said. 

Measures rationing electricity supplies are usually introduced in all regions except Dushanbe and seek to curb the country''s rising electricity consumption.  The rationing is introduced in October or November and lasts through March or April next year.  The rationing results in the supply of daily electrical power being reduced to 12 or 10 hours.  In addition to curbing rising consumption, the move also stems from a decline in the water level in the country''s reservoirs powering the main hydroelectric power plants.