DUSHANBE, November 25, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- The Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoEI) and the Barqi Tojik power holding have prepared a number of regulations for the restructuring of Barqi Tojik and submitted them for consideration to the government, Ms. Ughuloy Khojayeva, the chairperson of the Barqi Tojik restructuring and personnel training department, noted at the conference “Promotion of the Efficient System of Management and Expansion of Public Participation in the Energy Sector of Tajikistan” in Dushanbe on November 25.

According to her, the regulations have been worked out to ensure the implementation of government’s decree of August 30 on approval of the individual plan for the restructuring of Barqi Tojik in 2011-2018.

“The supervisory board, headed by Prime Minister Oqil Oqilov, will control all events concerning the implementation of the individual restructuring plan and structural changes in the power holding,” said Ms. Khojayeva.  “The interagency working group is developing the priorities of the restructuring plan and considering issues related to efficiency of its implementation.”

She noted that a tender had been announced among international consultants for working out and implementing the program of the restructuring of the Barqi Tojik power holding.

Khojayeva said the restructuring of the power holding will be held in three stages: 1) commercialization -- 2011-2013; 2) competition -- 2014-2015; and 3) privatization -- 2016-2018.

“During the first stage of the restructuring plan, Barqi Tojik will remain a single legal entity.  However, necessary steps will be taken for creation of three independent companies: (i) generation; (ii) transmission business; and (iii) distribution,” she said.

Khojayeva further added that it was necessary to make changes to the country’s legislation for creation of an independent regulating body that would give the private sector an opportunity to participate in further stages of the restructuring.

Barqi Tojik is the state-owned utility responsible for generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity in Tajikistan.  Prior to the country''s independence, Barqi Tojik was a Government agency and it became a state joint stock holding company in 1992 wholly owned by the Government of Tajikistan.