Hydropower crisis: Tajikistan introduced strict limits on electricity

The Tajik authorities have officially announced the introduction of strict restrictions on electricity consumption throughout the country. The key reason for the measures taken was the critical dependence of the state’s energy system on hydropower. Regulators attribute the shortage of capacity to a sharp drop in the water level in the country’s main reservoir – the Nurek Dam reservoir, which generates the bulk of electricity.

This year, the situation has worsened due to adverse natural factors. Experts note the impact of climate change, which led to an abnormally low amount of precipitation in the autumn period and, as a result, a significant reduction in river runoff. This had a serious negative impact on the production capabilities of hydroelectric power plants. Behruz Khasanzoda, Deputy Director of the State Energy Regulatory Agency of Tajikistan, confirmed that under the current conditions, the introduction of temporary restrictions is necessary to maintain a balance between production and consumption, as well as to save water resources.

As part of the implementation of energy saving measures, Barki Tojik and Electric Networks companies began informing the population through SMS mailings. Subscribers are warned about the introduction of limits on the one-time network load. According to the new rules, users with single-phase meters (220 V) are advised not to exceed the consumption threshold of 4 kW. For households equipped with three-phase meters (380 V), the upper bar is set at 8 kW.

The control system works in automatic mode: if the specified norms are exceeded, the power supply stops for 30 minutes. Power engineers recommend that residents, in case of disconnection, immediately de-energize electrical appliances, reduce the total power consumption and expect the restoration of light supply in half an hour.

Although the official recognition of the problem and explanation of the reasons have followed only now, the population has been facing power outages for three months. The situation in the regions remains the most acute: in some areas, electricity is supplied to homes only for 2-4 hours a day. The authorities emphasize that these measures are forced and temporary in nature, designed to prevent the complete depletion of water reserves in reservoirs.

Original (in Russian): Кризис гидроэнергетики: в Таджикистане ввели жесткие лимиты на электроэнергию