In Uzbekistan, the prepayment requirement for electricity and gas consumption will be reduced for a number of enterprises, dropping from 100% to 15%. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev announced this measure on August 18 during an open dialogue with business representatives held in the Khorezm region.
This change will affect enterprises that use electricity metering systems (ASKUE) and gas metering systems (ASKUG) and have maintained established payment discipline. The head of state noted that many entrepreneurs had raised concerns about how the requirement for one hundred percent prepayment for energy resources restricts their working capital.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev emphasized that a fundamental transformation of the management system in the energy sector is taking place. He stated that an updated system will function in all regions, taking into account both the current needs of entrepreneurs and their future plans.
Previously, the requirement for full prepayment for natural gas and electricity for legal entities came into force on July 1, 2024. It should be noted that a similar procedure was applied earlier from July 2017 to February 2019, after which the mandatory prepayment was reduced to 50%.
At the end of 2023, the Ministry of Energy explained the return to 100% advance payment due to violations by consumers. According to the agency's information, problems with the shortage of measuring equipment and other means led to cases of illegal connection to power grids and distortion of consumption data.
New rules for construction companies
Furthermore, the president outlined plans to introduce a new approach in the construction sector aimed at supporting the growth of contracting and design organizations starting in 2027. Regardless of where the construction is taking place, an amount equal to 5% of the minimum wage will be allocated for every hour of work performed by a person.
For contracting firms working on state facilities, a profit margin of 7% will be included in estimates. Additionally, depending on the complexity of a specific project, funds for design work will be allocated within the range of 4% to 7% of the total project cost.