Customer spending on electricity in Tajikistan is the highest in the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region.  Residents of Tajikistan spend on electricity on average nearly one-fifth of their monthly incomes.

The Program on Financial Recovery of Barqi Tojik (Tajikistan’s state-owned power utility), in particular, says that during heating season the poorest households in rural areas spend on average nearly 25 percent of their monthly incomes on electricity. 

Residential customers in Dushanbe reportedly spend on average up to 15 percent of their monthly incomes on electricity in winter time.  

In summer time, residential customers in rural areas and Dushanbe spend on electricity on average 14 and 10 percent of their monthly incomes respectively, the report says, noting that customer sending on electricity in Tajikistan is “the highest in the Europe and Central Asia (ECA) region.”

Barqi Tojik, however, states on each rise in electricity prices in the country that electricity rates in Tajikistan are the lowest within the CIS area.  

Meanwhile, the authorities plan to work out mechanisms for targeted social aid that will be provided to poor households that cannot afford to pay their energy bills.