Power supply to be temporarily suspended for up to two hours in some regions due to extreme heat

Uzbekistan's unified energy system recorded a historic summer electricity consumption record on July 16, with daily demand reaching 291 million kilowatt-hours. Due to the exceptionally high load on the power grid, electricity supply was temporarily restricted for up to two hours in some areas, the Ministry of Energy announced.

According to the ministry, the recent spell of extreme heat has led to a sharp increase in electricity consumption across the country.

Daily electricity generation also reached a new record on July 16, totaling 295.4 million kilowatt-hours. This is 4 million kilowatt-hours, or 1.37 percent, higher than the previous record of 291.4 million kilowatt-hours set on July 15.

The ministry said the extreme heat has caused outdoor power transmission lines and electrical equipment to operate at temperatures significantly above normal. During the daytime, the simultaneous use of thousands of air conditioners, refrigerators, cooling systems, and other electrical appliances has further increased pressure on the grid, raising the risk of equipment failures and accidents.

In such situations, dispatch services take measures to reduce the load on the electricity transmission network in order to prevent major disruptions to the national energy system.

Accordingly, when the load on certain sections of the grid approaches critical levels, electricity supply to specific areas may be temporarily suspended to protect equipment. The ministry said this measure is necessary to prevent damage to electrical infrastructure, equipment failures, and major outages that could last for several days.

The ministry also noted that around-the-clock emergency response teams have been deployed across the country to prevent and promptly address potential incidents on the power grid.

According to the statement, mandatory two-hour power restrictions have been introduced in several areas to prevent excessive loads on local electricity networks.

The temporary restrictions affected:

•  1,750 consumers in Ko'kdala and Chiroqchi districts of Kashkadarya Region;
•  1,200 consumers in Sharof Rashidov and Zomin districts of Jizzakh Region;
•  1,300 consumers in Shovot, Gurlan, and Qo'shko'pir districts of Khorezm Region;
•  1,000 consumers in Tashkent and Zangiota districts of Tashkent Region.

Earlier, Uzbekistan's national weather agency, Uzhydromet, warned that extremely hot air masses from the south would continue to affect the country between July 18 and 20. It was also reported that air temperatures could reach as high as 48 degrees Celsius over the weekend.