Authorities in Uzbekistan are reportedly planning to introduce annual adjustments for centralized heating tariffs linked to the national inflation rate starting in 2028. This proposal is outlined in a draft government decree recently published by the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Services for public review. According to the drafted document, utility tariffs would undergo mandatory indexation every year starting on May 1, factoring in the annual inflation rate, though the price growth is allegedly capped at a maximum of 10 percent.

The indexation mechanism is expected to rely on joint proposals submitted by the Ministry of Construction and Housing and Communal Services alongside the Ministry of Economy and Finance. This initiative follows a presidential decree signed in March, which mandated that residential heating tariffs be gradually raised to match the actual cost of service delivery by the year 2030. Meanwhile, the newly proposed regulations also suggest a separate surge in heating and hot water tariffs starting November 1, 2026, with prices in the capital city of Tashkent purported to jump by nearly 30 percent.

In addition to pricing updates, the regulatory framework targets significant structural and technical overhauls within the sector. Plans include conducting a comprehensive technical audit of the country's heating networks by the end of 2027 to draft extensive modernization programs. Furthermore, the management structures of the state heating entities are set to undergo reforms, including the involvement of foreign experts in advisory and executive roles to cut network losses and implement international financial reporting standards.

Source: www.gazeta.uz