DUSHANBE, January 24, 2011, Asia-Plus -- Customers should still pay for electricity under the rates set in 2010 as the government has not yet endorsed the new electricity rates offered by Barqi Tojik power holding (Tajik electricity supplier), the source at Barqi Tojik told Asia-Plus Monday afternoon, commenting on applications received from residential customers.

Residential customers in some districts of Dushanbe say they have received two electricity bills this month.

In the meantime, the source says two bills were sent to them in order to fully clear electricity payments for 2010. “The second bill is for electricity payment for the period from December 20 to December 31,” he noted.

We will recall that Barqi Tojik offered to raise the electricity rates this year by percent, while, the antimonopoly agency says that it is enough to raise the rates by 5-10 percent. The government has not yet endorsed a 20-percen rise in the electricity prices suggested by Barqi Tojik.

In Tajikistan, current prices are 0.09 somoni for residential customers, 0.213 somoni for industrial enterprises, except the Tajik Aluminum Company (current electricity price for TALCO is 0.082 somoni), 0.085 somoni for federally funded institutions and public utilities industries, and 0.057 somoni for pump stations and electric transport.