Tajikistan was plunged into darkness as a major technical malfunction at the Nurek hydroelectric power plant left vast swathes of the country without electricity for approximately three hours, on March 1. The outage, which began around 11 a.m. local time, in the capital city, Dushanbe, Eurasianet reported.
As households in Dushanbe reported power outages, concerns escalated over the lack of heating and hot water, both of which are essential services provided through centralized systems. This crisis unfolded against the backdrop of unseasonably warm weather giving way to freezing temperatures in recent days, prompting residents to rely on electric heaters, exacerbating the strain on the power grid.
Despite the severity of the situation, government officials remained notably silent, failing to address the public concerns or provide updates on the outage's cause and resolution. Independent media outlet Asia-Plus cited unnamed sources pointing to an incident at the Nurek hydroelectric plant as the likely trigger for the blackout. Nurek, a vital component of Tajikistan's energy infrastructure, typically supplies around 50% of the nation's electricity needs, according to estimates from the World Bank.
Efforts to obtain official statements from state-run power company Barki Tojik and Dushanbe city hall proved futile. As the outage persisted, reports emerged of additional disruptions, including a shortage of running water in some areas and outages in certain mobile internet and banking services.
While parts of the country, such as the southern city of Bokhtar, appeared to have been spared from the blackout, the situation remained dire in Dushanbe and other affected regions. The mountainous Pamirs region of Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), reliant on local hydroelectric generators, maintained its electricity supply, underscoring the disparities in infrastructure and resilience across Tajikistan.
Earlier Daryo reported that the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has pledged significant financial support to enhance Tajikistan's electricity infrastructure. Through a €31 mn financial package, the funding will focus on strengthening the country's national transmission network operator, Shabaqahoi Intiqoli Barq (SIB).
Comments (0)