DUSHANBE, March 7, 2013, Asia-Plus  -- Electricity rationing has been ended in Tajikistan.

Tajik authorities lifted all restrictions on electricity countrywide on March 7, one month earlier than usual, and regions now have power 24 hours a day.

Electricity rationing has been ended due to favorable weather conditions and increase in electricity generation, Nozirjon Yodgori, a spokesman for Barqi Tojik (Tajikistan’s major electricity provider), said.

We will recall that electricity rationing was introduced in early October.  In December-January, residential customers in the provinces reportedly had electricity only 6-7 hours per day.  On February 11, the supply of daily electricity was increased to 9 hours and on February 25, the supply of daily electricity was increased to twelve hours.  By government’s order electricity rationing was eased again on March 5 – the supply of daily electrical power was increased to eighteen hours.

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.  In addition to curbing rising consumption, the move also stems from a decline in the water level in the Norak reservoir.  The rationing results in the supply of daily electrical power being reduced to 12 or 10 hours.