Uzbekistan plans to abandon state regulation of coal prices

Uzbekistan plans to abandon state regulation of coal prices. This follows from the resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers of April 16 on increasing tariffs for electricity and gas.

Now coal, which is sold under direct contracts to the population, budgetary organizations and thermal power plants, is included in the list of socially important goods, and its price is regulated by the state.

Wholesale and retail prices for coal are reviewed and approved by the Interdepartmental Commission on Tariffs under the Cabinet of Ministers at least once a year (before June 1).

By retail we mean the price of coal products, which is approved by an interdepartmental commission. It is sold to the population through the coal warehouses of the “Kumir ta’minot” company.

The Ministry of Energy, together with other departments, has been instructed to make proposals within a month on the formation of wholesale and retail prices “based on market principles”.

In 2023, coal production in the country exceeded the previous year by 15.5%, the volume increased to 6.19 million tons. At the same time, imports of coal, coke and briquettes also increased – up to $204.4 million (+67.8%).

Coal supplies from Kazakhstan increased by 1.4 million tons to 3.1 million (+82.3%). Coal imports from Kyrgyzstan doubled over the 10 months of last year – to almost 900 thousand tons.