2008 Central Asia energy crisis

The 2008 Central Asia energy crisis was an energy shortage in Central Asia, which, combined with the severe weather of the 2007-08 winter (the coldest since 1969) and high prices for food and fuel, caused considerable hardship for many. The abnormally cold weather has pushed demand up for electricity, exacerbating the crisis. The situation is most dire in Tajikistan. An international appeal was made by the United Nations, NGOs, and the Red Cross and Red Crescent for around US$25 million to assist the government. At the time, The UN warned that millions face starvation during the 2008-09 winter.

At the beginning of January 2008, officials announced an electricity price hike of 20 percent to allow the "government [to] repay its debt to the World Bank." According to an official at Barqi Tojik, a national power company, limits will become stricter, and the price for electricity is expected to rise until 2010.

On April 2008, Pradeep Mitra, World Bank chief economist for Europe and Central Asia, issued an uncharacteristic statement, urging the worse-hit countries to spend more on social assistance and "top up" their social programs.

Nonetheless, Mitra focus remained centred "on inflation management," suggesting that the affected countries "especially refrain from imposing controls on trade" (measures recently undertaken by many countries to protect their populations from food price inflation and keep food available domestically), arguing that "it could work against the food supply in the longer term."

As of January 13, 2008, many villages received only one to three hours of electricity per day, and the capital Dushanbe cut power to residential areas overnight. On January 26, 2008, Dushanbe cut power to places of entertainment (including restaurants, shops, pharmacies, markets, and public bathhouses), causing many to close until spring. The few visible lights are from the owners of generators, factories, or people who have illegally tapped the power lines. The restriction was set to end February 10, but there is discussion of extending it. The only exemptions to the restrictions are for government offices, hospitals, and certain industrial cities, such as Tursunzoda, which has a large aluminum plant. Because of inoperable central heating systems in Dushanbe and other cities, residents in apartment blocks have no means other than electricity to heat their homes.

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