Uzbek media reports say Uzbekistan has experienced an unprecedented surge in electricity consumption as scorching temperatures sweep across the country.  Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Energy confirmed the breaking of records.

Uzbekistan Newsline reports that on June 13 of this year, the total electricity consumption reportedly reached 231.7 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) in Uzbekistan, marking an all-time high for the month of June.  Comparatively, the usage on the same day last year stood at 202 million kWh, reflecting a substantial growth rate of 14.7 percent.

Furthermore, by 11:00 am on June 14, the hourly demand had surged to 11,080 megawatts (MW).  This signifies a significant increase of 1,600 MW (15.4%) compared to the corresponding date in 2022. 

Qalampir.uz reports that to put this into perspective, the additional power consumed is roughly equivalent to the output of four steam-gas plants or two "Torakorgon" Integrated Energy Systems.

Among the country’s cities, Tashkent has been the most affected by the heightened electricity consumption.  On June 13, 2021, Tashkent residents reportedly consumed 7.6 million kWh, whereas the figure surged to 17.08 million kWh on the same day in 2022, and an astounding 26.4 million kWh this year.

UzReport notes that the rising air temperatures are directly contributing to the surge in electricity demand.  Consequently, the strain on power grids and transformer stations has intensified, leading to various network malfunctions.  The abnormal heat has caused a 20% decrease in power grid conductivity and system losses.

Authorities reportedly anticipate a further spike in electricity demand due to the soaring temperatures.  As a result, measures will be taken to address the increased load on power infrastructure and rectify any issues promptly.