According to the Department for Combating Economic Crimes under the Prosecutor General’s Office, officials from the two companies allegedly colluded with others to misappropriate budget funds under the guise of providing technical maintenance for electronic gas meters.
The investigation has also identified additional damage of UZS 861.1 million to state and public interests after the readings of 273 gas meters installed at consumers’ premises were allegedly understated.
The case has revived questions that have surrounded Uzbekistan’s smart meter program since its launch, including the cost of the project, the selection of the manufacturer and the transparency of the state procurement process.
How the smart meter project began
Uzbekistan announced plans to localize smart gas meter production in 2019, presenting the project as part of efforts to modernize and digitalize the country’s energy system. At the time, the authorities said they were negotiating with Artel over the production of modern electronic gas meters.
The contract ultimately went to Technopark LLC, a company established by the Tashkent city administration, which became the manufacturer and supplier of the meters.
A $50 million plant was launched at the Technopark industrial site in Tashkent in 2020. It began producing Osten-branded meters equipped with SIM cards that could automatically transmit gas consumption data to a central server. Official statements at the time said the facility would have the capacity to produce up to 3 million meters a year.
Problems began to emerge after the meters were installed.
In 2020, reports from Andijan said more than 40 smart gas meters had stopped working, while some households reported that meters had caught fire or exploded. Technopark
