Uzbekistan increased electricity imports from Tajikistan in cold weather

Uzbekistan has increased the import of electricity from Tajikistan to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the Surkhandarya region in the south of the country, the press service of the regional branch of JSC Regional Electric Networks said on Friday.

"During the abnormally cold period, an additional supply of electricity from the neighboring Republic of Tajikistan has been started in order to provide uninterrupted power supply to the population and social facilities of the Surkhandarya region," the regional distribution zone said in a message on the Telegram channel. Supply volumes are not disclosed.

According to the branch, electricity from Tajikistan is supplied to nine out of 14 districts of the region, the remaining consumers in the region receive electricity from the power system of Uzbekistan. Deliveries of Tajik electricity are carried out through the 500 kV transmission line Guzar-Regar.

Over the past three years, Uzbekistan has resumed importing electricity from neighboring Central Asian countries to meet the needs of the population and industry, especially during the peak load in winter. In 2018, imports from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan also resumed, in July 2019 - from Kazakhstan as part of participation in the work of the Central Asian Energy System. In December last year, Uzbekistan increased the import of electricity from Turkmenistan due to the growth of domestic consumption in cold weather: from 17-18 million kWh up to 20-21 million kWh per day.

Since January 10, abnormally cold weather has been recorded throughout Uzbekistan, at night the temperature dropped to minus 19-25 degrees, and in the daytime to 17 degrees below zero. In all settlements, the consumption of electricity and gas increased several times, which caused massive power outages, a decrease in gas pressure in houses and a shutdown of heat supply. The last two days frosts in the republic have subsided.