KULOB, October 22, 2012, Asia-Plus  -- Electricity rationing has affected residential customers in the city of Kulob.

Jumakhon Sharipov, director of the Kulob municipal electricity supply enterprise, noted Monday afternoon that electricity rationing that was introduced in the city last week will last until November 1.

The rationing has reportedly resulted in the supply of daily electrical power to the residential customers in the city of Kulob being reduced to 12 hours.  “Beginning on November 1, the rationing may be eased or toughened,” Sharipov added.

According to him, up to 25 percent of electricity supplied to the city is used by the water supply system, “25 percent if electrical power is used by the life support system and the remainder is supplied to the residential customers in accordance with schedule.”

Meanwhile, villages in the Kulob district now have electricity eleven hours per day, the director of the Kulob municipal electricity supply enterprise added.

We will recall that electricity rationing has been introduced in rural areas of Tajikistan.  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).

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.