Gas supply cut off to Tajik Cement over debts
Tajikistan’s largest cement producer, Tojiktsement [Tajik cement] state unitary enterprise, has suspended its operation because gas supply has been cut off.
The Asia-Plus news agency has learnt at the enterprise that gas was cut off at 0600 in the morning on 28 March. The source said that Tojikgaz [Tajik gas] state unitary enterprise cut off gas because of the cement plant’s debts for the gas consumption.
Currently, the Tojiktsement state unitary enterprise owes 800,000 dollars to Tojikgaz, the enterprise said.
Meanwhile, the director-general of the Tojikgaz state unitary enterprise, Fathiddin Muhsiddinov, today told the Asia-Plus news agency that the gas supplies to the enterprise would be resumed only after Tojiktsement settles its debt before the gas supplying company. He also noted that another company that owes large amount of money for gas was the Barq-i Tojik [Tajik Electricity] open joint- stock holding company, which owes 7m dollars to Tojikgaz.
Currently, Tojiktsement state unitary enterprise is the largest cement plant in Tajikistan, which supplies the country’s large construction sites with cement. Its planned production capacity is 1m tonnes of cement per year. At present, the plant uses 20-25 per cent of the capacity as its main equipment has been worn out.
Originally published by Asia-Plus news agency, Dushanbe, in Russian 0849 29 Mar 08. Published under Cement News
