Technical fault at Tashkent TPS triggers temporary blackout and subway disruptions

According to preliminary data from the Ministry of Energy, a transformer failure occurred at the Tashkent Thermal Power Plant at 12:41 p.m. The technical fault led to temporary blackouts across various areas within the Mirabad, Yunusabad, Mirzo Ulugbek, Shaykhantahur, and Olmazor districts.

Emergency teams resolved the primary issue by 1:01 p.m., allowing authorities to systematically bring consumers back online. The Ministry of Energy officially announced that electricity supply was fully restored to all affected areas by 1:22 p.m.

The power failure briefly affected operations on the Uzbekistan, Chilanzar, and Yunusabad lines of the Tashkent Metro. To preserve passenger safety, emergency backup generators were immediately deployed. These backup systems enabled operators to maintain continuous control over the underground network and ensure trains could run safely until grid power returned.

Beyond the immediate disruptions to daily transit, food, and delivery services, the incident has highlighted the significant economic toll of urban blackouts.

Economist Mirkomil Kholboyev noted citing the National Statistics Committee that Tashkent generates approximately UZS 42 billion in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) every hour. Consequently, a total city-wide blackout lasting one hour effectively prevents the creation of UZS 42 billion in economic value. While alternate energy sources, backup generators, and non-electrical business sectors mitigate the direct losses slightly, the secondary ripple effects of a power outage can multiply the overall economic damage.

Even by conservative estimates, a one-hour power disruption in the capital costs the economy at least $3.5 million at current exchange rates, stressing the critical importance of grid stability for the country’s financial center.