Uzbekistan proposes raising electricity baseline to 350 kWh for non-gasified areas

Uzbekistan has proposed raising the monthly basic electricity norm from 200 kWh to 350 kWh for residents of non-gasified areas and territories with natural gas supply interruptions. Deputy Minister of Economy and Finance Khurshed Mustafayev announced the proposal at an October 14 press conference.

The proposal is based on an analysis of winter electricity consumption, which found that about 60% of households in these areas use up to 300 kWh per month in winter. The ministry said around 4 million households are not connected to gas networks. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev approved the proposal on October 6, and the draft decree was published for public discussion on October 13.

If adopted, the price for consumption in the 201–350 kWh range would fall from 900 to 650 sums per kWh, almost 28% lower. Authorities say the norm would cover about 80% of subscribers in non-gasified areas, and more than 1.5 million consumers could save around 171 billion sums in total during the heating season. The higher norm would apply from November 1, 2026, and from October to February in Karakalpakstan and Khorezm region.