VZCZCXRO3224
PP RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHDBU #0703 1040544
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P R 140544Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7232
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 1468
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 1468
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 1518
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA 1540
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1538
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 1309
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1555
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC
RUMICEA/USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RHMFISS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1093
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS 0886
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1526
RULSDMK/DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE 8435

UNCLAS DUSHANBE 000703 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN, EUR, EB, S/P 
NSC FOR MILLARD, MERKEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ECON EINV SOCI AF PK TI
SUBJECT: TAJIK GOVERNMENT ENACTS HOUSEHOLD EXCESS ELECTRICITY RATE 
 
REF: DUSHANBE 668 
 
(U) Sensitive but unclassified.  Please handle accordingly.  Not 
for public Internet. 
 
¶1. (U) According to media reports, the Tajik Anti-Monopoly 
Committee approved on April 11 an excess electricity consumption 
rate above 250 kWh per month for private households retroactive 
to  the beginning of April.  The base electricity rate remains 
the same at 0.5 cent.  Per reftel, the 0.5 cent rate is at 
approximately 24 percent of the "cost recovery rate" for 
Tajikistan currently to produce and distribute electricity.  The 
new excess electricity consumption rate of 0.9 cent is 
approximately 43 percent of the cost recovery rate. 
 
¶2. (U) An informal survey of Embassy local staff indicates on 
average they consume 1,000 kWh per month.  However, local 
Embassy personnel are wealthier than the average Tajik and 
likely use more electricity in their residences in general.  The 
250 kWh cap for the very cheap rate for power ensures that a 
lower rate still is available for everyday needs in the typical 
household. 
 
¶3. (SBU) COMMENT:  The government kept this excess electricity 
consumption rate change under wraps, despite numerous recent 
meetings with PolOff on the very subject, and may have announced 
this leading in to the summer when electricity usage drops. 
While this is a good first step towards regulating tariffs, the 
electricity rates for industry and private businesses remain 
unchanged at their low levels.  In addition, overall rates in 
Tajikistan remain below the cost recovery rate, and this excess 
consumption rate is unlikely to significantly reduce usage by 
households that already are above the median income.  Moreover, 
there are serious gaps in collection, and it remains to be seen 
how many people will still be able to "beat the system."  END 
COMMENT. 
 
 
SIGNATURE 
 
HOAGLAND