To enhance payment discipline in the waste disposal sector, conditions for electricity payments are set to be introduced. The relevant draft law was approved in the first reading by the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis.
The project includes amendments to several legislative acts. According to these amendments, if a consumer fails to pay for waste disposal services, their ability to make electricity payments will be temporarily restricted.
Subscribers will receive advance notifications via SMS regarding any outstanding debts for waste disposal. They will be given a specific timeframe to resolve these issues.
On December 9, the parliamentary faction of the "Milliy Tiklanish" party held a discussion on the project. Deputy Jahongir Shirinov pointed out that the electricity supply contract is established between the subscriber and the power supply company without the involvement of waste disposal operators.
As noted during the meeting, the regulation regarding the condition of having no debts for waste disposal will be included in the public offer of energy companies. Minister of Ecology Aziz Abduhakimov stated that the most effective way to stimulate debtors is to notify them of their debts with an indication that prices will rise sharply if payments are not made on time.
According to the Ministry of Ecology, the total debt for waste disposal has reached 596 billion soums, increasing by nearly 24% since the beginning of the year. The new measure aims to address the issue of debt collection, as emphasized in the meeting.
Additionally, plans were reported to introduce unified billing for utility payments in a package method within the next 2 years. This practice is already implemented in many developed countries, as noted by the meeting participants.
Light and Waste
In January, Shavkat Mirziyoyev signed a decree to reorganize the waste disposal sector, which included restrictions on electricity payments for those with unpaid debts for waste disposal. Starting from June 1, these restrictions were set to take effect in Tashkent, Nukus, and regional centers for subscribers with debts exceeding 6 months.
As of November 1, the corresponding measure came into force for all settlements in Uzbekistan and is applied for non-payment over a period of 3 months. From January 1, 2025, the restrictions will be enforced for monthly debts.
“Those who do not pay for waste will be left in the dark,” described the decision by the press secretary of the Ministry of Energy, Hasan Tashkhodjaev.
Furthermore, starting in April, the absence of debts for waste disposal will be mandatory when finalizing contracts for the sale of real estate and vehicles. A unified system for payment and accounting of mandatory payments will be used for verification.
At the end of October, "Regional Electric Networks" reported that specialists from the state company are working on the technical implementation of the relevant function. It was emphasized that this does not involve completely disconnecting subscribers from electricity supply.
Previously, Spot reported on the number of public-private partnership projects in the waste recycling sector implemented in Uzbekistan.