DUSHANBE, October 1, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Electricity rationing has been introduced in rural areas of Tajikistan, an official source at Barqi Tojik (the state-owned utility responsible for generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity in Tajikistan) told Asia-Plus on October 1.

The measures rationing electricity supplies have been introduced in all rural areas except the capital Dushanbe, cities and district administrative centers.

The 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 Tajikistan to 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 12 or 10 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.