WHY DOES THE PRICE OF ELECTRICITY IN TAJIKISTAN RISE EVERY YEAR?

Undoubtedly, starting from autumn and throughout winter, most regions and villages in Tajikistan face electricity shortages. Despite this, a pressing question in society is why the price of electricity in the country continues to rise each year? This article attempts to answer this current question.

This question arises against the backdrop of several small and medium-sized power plants, such as "Sangtuda-1", "Sangtuda-2", and part of the large "Rogun" power plant, being put into operation in Tajikistan in recent years. The President of Tajikistan promised the people that if we build these three power plants with the help and cooperation of Iran and Russia, Tajikistan would achieve energy independence, and the villages would be supplied with electricity throughout the year. Since then, 20-25 years have passed, but some regions and hundreds of villages still do not receive full electricity supply from autumn until the end of winter and early spring. Moreover, the price of electricity in Tajikistan continues to rise each year.

The main reason for the rise in electricity prices is the contract signed several years ago between Tajikistan and the World Bank. According to this contract, Tajikistan is obliged to increase electricity prices annually. In exchange for raising electricity prices, Tajikistan receives funds from the World Bank to replace equipment and devices for transmitting electricity to consumers. A portion of these funds is also used to repay Tajikistan's debt to the World Bank.

With the signing of this contract, Tajikistan has been caught in the World Bank's net. Over the past 50 years, the World Bank has not provided any country with financial assistance without seeking a profit, including Tajikistan. Do not forget that the goal of any bank, whether small or large, is to make a profit.

Therefore, Tajikistan has no choice but to fulfill this contract. Even if Tajikistan builds another thousand power plants, the price of electricity will not decrease because the World Bank will not allow it. The only solution is to pay off the debt to the World Bank in one lump sum and withdraw from this contract. But does Tajikistan have the political and moral strength to do so?

Tajikistan is a country that receives financial assistance from America to pay monthly pensions to its retirees. Previously, before Trump became president in America, the USA provided Tajikistan with $52 million in aid. Trump reduced this aid to $38 million. Now, in the shadow of events in Ukraine, Tajikistan has disappeared from Joe Biden's radar, although the authorities of Tajikistan supported the victory of the Democrats in America.

Another reason for the annual rise in electricity prices in Tajikistan is the smuggling of electricity to Uzbekistan and Afghanistan during the winter period. Tajikistan sells electricity to Afghanistan and Uzbekistan. But in what volume?

This question has remained unanswered by the government for many years. Naturally, electricity transmission losses should not exceed 3%. A few years ago, the company "Barqi Tojik" announced in the presence of the president that electricity losses do not exceed 13%. Even the president doubted this figure, as that same year, the State Statistics Agency of Tajikistan estimated electricity losses at 42%.

According to experts, out of 100 kilowatt-hours of produced electricity, only 58 kilowatt-hours reach the consumer. 100 kilowatts of electricity are sold to the public for 7 somoni and 70 dirams. Of these, approximately 3 somoni and 24 dirams are considered natural losses, which do not go into the state budget. In other words, instead of receiving 7 somoni and 70 dirams, the state receives only 4 somoni and 46 dirams for 100 kilowatt-hours of electricity. Furthermore, within these 42% of so-called natural losses, there is also the internal smuggling of electricity, which the employees of the "Barqi Tojik" company pocket.

According to experts, if 60-70 million kilowatt-hours of electricity are produced, the losses amount to millions of somoni, including internal electricity smuggling. These millions of somoni are also associated with internal electricity smuggling, which is covered up in the reports of "Barqi Tojik" under the term "natural electricity losses".

Finally, I want to emphasize one important point: there is no electricity sales company in the world that owes the state. However, the company "Barqi Tojik" is annually in debt to the state.