Uzbekistan Faces Huge Losses from Illegal Energy Use

Damage from illegal electricity and natural gas use in Uzbekistan has exceeded UZS 1.2 trillion over the past year, according to the Ministry of Energy.

Since the beginning of the year, authorities have identified 2,887 cases of unlawful electricity and gas consumption, The Caspian Post reports, citing Uzbek media.

Preliminary estimates put the total damage to the state at UZS 1.243 trillion, including UZS 668.9 billion from illegal electricity use and UZS 574.7 billion from unauthorized natural gas consumption.

To ensure proper legal assessment, 2,696 case files have been forwarded to law enforcement agencies. Additionally, nearly 5,300 administrative cases have been initiated against consumers for violating energy resource regulations.

Separately, inspections monitoring the quality of petroleum products at gas stations and industrial facilities uncovered widespread violations. Laboratory analyses of sampled products revealed 9.3 million liters of substandard fuel in 377 cases. The sale of these products was prevented, the ministry stated.

Authorities emphasized that ongoing enforcement measures aim to curb illegal energy use, reduce state losses, and improve compliance with energy and fuel quality standards.