During extensive monitoring activities carried out over nine months of this year, Uzbekistan's Inspectorate for Control over the Use of Electric Power, Petroleum Products, and Gas (Uzenergoinspeksiya) uncovered 2,795 violations concerning the illegal use of energy resources and procedural non-compliance. Unauthorized exploitation accounted for 129.1 million cubic meters of natural gas and 226.4 million kWh of electricity, inflicting estimated financial damages of roughly 825.3 billion UZS on state interests.

Following these widespread violations, regulatory authorities drafted 4,196 administrative offense protocols against non-compliant consumers. Oversight measures targeting fuel safety and standards also yielded significant findings: out of samples collected from gas stations and distribution hubs, 308 instances revealed 7,435 tons of substandard petroleum products, which were subsequently barred from reaching public retail markets. Concurrently, technical inspections were conducted on electrical installations across 5,674 facilities, while 9,168 power supply engineering blueprints underwent regulatory expertise.

The inspectorate additionally resolved erroneous utility billing cases impacting the private sector. Adjustments were successfully finalized for 199 commercial entities, rectifying surplus billings amounting to 3.632 billion UZS for electricity and 12.084 billion UZS for natural gas. On the efficiency front, energy audits were initiated across 294 enterprises under the State Energy Registry, with 180 audits already concluded. Administrative penalties were imposed on the executives of 16 enterprises that deliberately evaded mandatory energy audits.

Uzenergoinspeksiya reminded commercial operators and households against tampering with metering equipment and unauthorized grid hookups. Under the amended domestic legal framework, monetary fines for illegal utility taps have risen substantially, with repeat offenders facing formal criminal prosecution.

Source: www.gazeta.uz