Tashkent begins restricting electricity payments for residents with unpaid waste collection debts

On 5 November, Regional Electric Networks began sending SMS notifications from the short number 2100, informing subscribers about outstanding debts for sanitation services. On the first day alone, 25,121 residents received notices about arrears totaling UZS 2.24 billion.

If a subscriber fails to settle the debt within five days of receiving the notification, payment restrictions for electricity will take effect starting 10 November. The total amount of unpaid waste collection fees in the capital currently exceeds UZS 582 million, and around 6,000 people have already been affected by the measure.

The restrictions will be lifted immediately after the full repayment of the debt. From December, this system will be rolled out across all regions of Uzbekistan.

By the third day of each month, information about debtors will be transferred from the Toza Makon billing system to the HET Billing system to issue warnings. The restrictions apply only to unpaid waste collection fees accumulated after 1 July 2024 and do not cover debts incurred before 30 June.

Enterprises responsible for sanitation services are accountable for the accuracy of billing. Consumers with complaints or suggestions related to waste management may contact the Waste Management Agency’s 24-hour hotline at the short number 1205.

President Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree earlier in 2024 to reform the waste collection sector, which included provisions to restrict electricity payments for customers with unpaid garbage bills. The measures were planned to be introduced gradually.

The new system formally took effect on 1 June 2024 in Tashkent, Nukus, and regional centers, initially targeting subscribers with six or more months of unpaid waste collection fees. In November, the rule extended to all settlements in Uzbekistan for three-month arrears, and starting from 2025, restrictions will apply to one-month delays.

“Those who don’t pay for waste collection will sit in the dark,” said Ministry of Energy spokesperson Hasan Toshkhojaev, describing the policy.

In addition, since April, proof of no outstanding waste collection debts has been required to finalize property or vehicle sale contracts. Verification is conducted through a unified system for managing and recording mandatory payments.

In March, the president signed a law linking electricity payments to timely waste collection fee payments. The law, which came into force on 8 June, stipulates that consumers will receive SMS notifications of their debts. If the debt is not paid within five days of receiving the message, electricity payment acceptance will be temporarily suspended.