Tajikistan has reportedly alleviated power rationing introduced in rural areas.

According to Barqi Tojik (Tajikistan’s national integrated power company), the power rationing was alleviated on December 9.

The power rationing was reportedly alleviated due to introduction of the second line of the Dushanbe-2 combined heat and power (CHP) plant into operation.

The second line of the Dushanbe-2 CHP plant was introduced into operation on December 8 increasing the plant’s capacity to 400 megawatt.

The Barqi Tojik press center says the supply of daily electrical power has been increased by three hours and residential customers in rural areas now have electricity ten hours per day – five hours in the morning (from 5:00 am to 10:00 am) and five hours in the evening (from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm).

Recall, electricity rationing was introduced in rural areas of Tajikistan on November 1.

Electricity rationing has not affected Dushanbe, regional administrative centers and large cities.

The power rationing has also not affected the majority of districts of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO).  In GBAO, Tajikistan’s only private power company, Pamir Energy Company (Pamir Energy), operates.  This company is responsible for electricity deliveries in the region and the majority of districts in Gorno Badakhshan now have regular power supply.

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 10 or 8 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.