The Cabinet of Ministers of Uzbekistan adopted a resolution on June 18 aimed at preventing accidents and incidents at automobile gas stations and gas filling facilities. The document states that an inventory of 6,196 gas stations selling liquefied and compressed gas, as well as stations for filling household gas cylinders, was conducted across the country.
The inspection revealed a total of 46,737 violations and shortcomings. Of these, 2,218 were related to construction, 7,949 to fire safety, 25,341 to industrial and technical safety, 3,354 to ecology and environmental protection, and 7,875 to compliance with technological processes. Some 7,166 violations were eliminated on the spot, while the operations of 464 gas stations were temporarily suspended.
The government approved minimum requirements for gas stations and gas filling facilities in the areas of fire safety, technological processes, industrial safety, ecology, and environmental protection. The requirements include acceptance certificates, licenses, technical passports, serviceable fire extinguishing and automation equipment, calibrated measuring instruments, documents confirming staff qualifications, and systems to prevent gas leaks and environmental pollution.
The resolution also took note of the implementation of the automated natural gas sales accounting system 'U-Gas'. The system has registered 1,553 automobile gas compressor stations, with contracts signed with 1,489 of them, and the system successfully implemented at 1,459 stations, enabling online monitoring of their transactions.
Starting September 1, 2026, the use of equipment operating under excess pressure with expired service life or undetermined manufacturing date will be restricted at all gas stations and gas filling facilities. The restriction will remain in effect until January 1, 2030.
By September 1, 2026, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, together with the Ministry of Digital Technologies, must integrate data from the 'Eco Himoya' platform on the technical inspection of gas cylinders installed in vehicles with the U-Gas system. This will allow checking the technical condition of gas cylinder equipment during refueling.
By September 1, 2027, a monitoring system for the activities of engineering and technical personnel at gas stations and gas filling facilities who have completed special courses and hold certificates for working at hazardous production facilities must be created. From January 1, 2027, the operations of facilities employing specialists without appropriate certificates will be suspended until violations are eliminated.
Local authorities and relevant agencies are prohibited from allocating land plots within the protection zones of gas stations and gas filling facilities for the construction of other objects unrelated to their activities. By September 1, 2026, a register of facilities located in violation of safety requirements, urban planning norms, and environmental rules that pose a threat to life and health will be compiled.
It is worth recalling that on June 8, an explosion occurred at a household gas cylinder filling station in the Kashkadarya region, killing 6 people and injuring 5. In December 2024, an explosion at the Petrolium gas station in Fergana claimed 4 lives.
Source: www.gazeta.uz