Uzbekistan has witnessed a wave of high-profile dismissals in its energy sector. Following a critical meeting chaired by Energy Minister Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov, the heads of 44 district and city electric grid enterprises were removed from their positions.

The drastic measures were prompted by unacceptably high electricity losses exceeding 20 percent, as well as ineffective infrastructure modernization efforts. The largest number of dismissals occurred in the Andijan branch of Regional Electric Networks JSC, where 14 managers lost their jobs.

Additionally, 10 heads of units in Samarkand, 7 in Jizzakh, 4 in Kashkadarya, and 2 each in Syrdarya, Tashkent, and Fergana branches were fired. The head of the Khududgaz Khorezm branch was also dismissed for serious work deficiencies.

An inspection revealed a critical state of equipment: out of 106,140 transformer substations examined, over 25,000 require urgent repair. Newly appointed personnel have been given strict KPIs: they must reduce energy losses by at least half.

To combat theft and technological losses, the Ministry of Energy plans to accelerate the introduction of artificial intelligence technologies. It also ordered the rapid connection of all gas filling stations to the UGaz system and the complete replacement of worn-out wires on high-load lines.

Notably, in Tashkent, the consideration of Minister Mirzamakhmudov's complaint against economist and blogger Otabek Bakirov has been resumed. The complaint stems from critical posts published on the economist's Telegram channel in December 2024.

Source: podrobno.uz