During the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, the electricity supply schedule for residential customers in the rural areas of Tajikistan has been changed.

Now, residential customers are to receive electricity for 8 hours a day: in the morning from 3:30 to 7:30 and in the evening from 17:00 to 21:30. This was reported by Dustmurod Toirov, head of the Central Dispatch Center for the Electric Power Transmission Networks.

He acknowledged that this schedule is shorter than the one set by the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, which stipulates that electricity should be supplied to the residential customers in the rural areas for 10 hours a day, and noted that since mid-February, this schedule has not been adhered to.

The reason for this, according to him, is the "cold weather."

"Due to the cold weather over the last two to three weeks, the electricity supply to the population has been reduced to 6 hours," he admitted.

However, due to the holy month of Ramadan, it was decided to increase the electricity supply to 8 hours a day.

“To allow residents to prepare Suhoor (the pre-fasting meal Muslims eat night before sunrise), we have increased the hours of electricity supply.  In the morning from 3:30 to 7:30 and in the evening from 17:00 to 21:30, the population will be provided with electricity,” Toirov said.

Power rationing will not be lifted for now

When asked about this, the representative of the Electric Power Transmission Networks did not give a specific answer, noting that it depends on weather conditions.

He emphasized that as a result of snowfall and rain over the past two weeks, the water level in the Vakhsh River has decreased.

"As soon as the water flow into the Vakhsh River increases due to rainfall and warming, we will definitely lift the electricity supply restrictions. As of March 3, the water level is 22-23% below the normal level. The snow that fell in the Rasht mountains has not yet melted and has not flowed into the river," Toirov said.

The energy company representative noted that while he cannot provide exact dates for lifting the energy limit, he emphasized that the restrictions will be removed gradually.

Tajikistan struggles with electricity rationing 30 years after independence, despite long-held dreams of becoming an energy export powerhouse.

Measures rationing electricity supplies are usually introduced in all regions of the country except Dushanbe, regional administrative centers and major cities of the country and they seek to curb the country's rising electricity consumption.  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.