DUSHANBE, November 18, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Electricity rationing that was introduced in rural areas of Tajikistan on October 1 has affected district administrative centers and cities in the northern Sughd province as well.

In the cities and district administrative centers in the province, the power rationing was reportedly introduced on November 16.

“Sughd cities now have electricity only 14 hours per day,” Muminjon Mohammadzoda, the head of the Sughd power transmission network, told Asia-Plus in an interview.

According to him, the electricity rationing did not affect industrial enterprises and strategic facilities.

“The daily electricity quota set out for Sughd province amounts to 7.5 million kWh while actual daily requirements of the province in electricity are 14.5 million kWh,” Mohammadzoda noted.

Measures rationing electricity supplies are usually introduced in all regions, except Dushanbe and most districts of Gorno Badakhshan, and 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.