The Ministry of Energy in Uzbekistan is in the final stages of developing a program that automatically shuts off electricity when power consumption limits are exceeded, as reported by the Ministry of Energy to Gazeta.uz. This initiative aims to address the challenges posed by high power demand and technical limitations, particularly during cold weather.
Power Cutoffs and Technical Challenges
Residents in Tashkent and other regions experienced power disconnections when temperatures plummeted to -20 degrees Celsius. The smart meters automatically turned off electricity when the consumption limit was surpassed. On one particularly cold day with peak consumption in the capital, 28,000 consumers were disconnected from the network.
The Ministry of Energy acknowledged that, despite only three emergencies in the Tashkent power grid on that day, the decision to lift the consumption limit led to an increase in accidents the next day, reaching a total of 18. The surge in incidents was attributed to the strain on power transmission lines and substations, unable to handle loads exceeding their designed capacity.
Technical Errors and Program Adjustments
Consumer Concerns and Consumption Breakdown
Responding to public concerns, the Ministry of Energy emphasized that the consumption limit was set to manage electricity usage effectively. Press secretary Hasan Toshxo‘jayev explained that consuming 15 kWh of electricity would require the simultaneous operation of six refrigerators, three air conditioners with an average power of 1.5 kW, and three electric ovens for one hour.
Uzbekistan's Ministry of Energy has outlined an ambitious strategy to attain a consistent and uninterrupted functioning of the nation's energy system by 2026. The ministry is escalating its endeavors to tackle the issues confronting the energy sector, notably in the aftermath of the energy crisis in early 2023. The primary emphasis is on guaranteeing a dependable power provision for the impending summer season.
Earlier Daryo reported drawing inspiration from China's effective strategies in addressing power shortages, Uzbekistan is proactively channeling investments into green energy initiatives. In late December, the country inaugurated six environmentally friendly power plants boasting a combined capacity of 2.4 GW. There are further plans to augment the capacity of such plants to an impressive 27 GW by 2030. This ambitious undertaking aims to annually save 25 bn cubic meters of natural gas and curtail harmful emissions by a substantial 34 mn tons.
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