DUSHANBE, January 31, 214, Asia-Plus -- Tajik Minister of Energy and Water Resources Usmonali Usmonov told journalists on January 30 that a special government commission is currently considering the issue of raising electricity prices.

According to him, electricity prices will be raised during this year.  “We will be able to make available more detailed information only after completion of the work of the commission,” the minister said.

Usmonov noted that they were going to raise rates “because workers of the country’s power system have not received wages for months.”

Besides, Barqi Tojik (the state-owned utility responsible for generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity in Tajikistan) has huge debts and it is necessary to improve its financial and economic activity somehow, the minister added.

We will recall that for the last time, Tajikistan raised electricity prices in April 2012. 

Current electricity prices of one kWh of electricity are 11 dirams for residential customers, 26.63 dirams for industrial and non-industrial enterprises, 10.63 dirams for federally funded institutions, electrical transport, public utilities and sports complexes, and 1.88 dirams for reclamation vertical wells and water pumping stations.