Registan.net

As if things weren’t bad enough already.  Uzbekistan has shut off the gas to Tajikistan, and now Turkmenistan isn’t sending electricity. Personally, I find the infrastructure systems of Central Asia very confusing.  Thanks to the Soviet Union, the republics originally were intertwined.  Perhaps this was to further the Soviet goal of unity and solidarity, but now it just makes it that much more difficult when countries decide to cut each other out.

Also, I had no idea that Tajikistan bought any power from Turkmenistan.  I has assumed it would have gone the other way, considering the potential for hydroelectricity presented by Tajikistan being mostly mountainous, like Kyrgyzstan.  Dushanbe will not be affected by the cut off, according to Muslim Uzbekistan’s article.

We will recall that under the provisions of an agreement signed between Tajikistan and Turkmenistan in 2007, Turkmenistan will annually supply 1.2 billion kWh of electricity to Tajikistan in autumn-winter season during the period till 2012.  Turkmenistan began supplying electrical power to Tajikistan on November 1, 2008.

I hardly consider myself a professional analyst, but I’m assuming this has to do with Uzbekistan’s further attempts to squeeze Tajikistan for money.  Asking them for double the money for their gas wasn’t enough, perhaps, and they seem to be asking for 10% of the transit cost of the electricity crossing through their lines.

According to the Barqi Tojik top manager Sharifkhon Samiyev, Tajikistan pass to Turkmenistan for electricity at the rate of 3 cents per 1 kWh.  Besides, Tajikistan should pay to Uzbekistan for electricity transit at the rate of 0.3 cent per 1 kWh.

It’s difficult for me to parse exactly what is going on.  I feel that it’s clearer to others with first-hand information, but where is that available on the interwebs?  I trust the commenters to help flesh this out.

Stumble it!