Draft Cabinet resolution: proposal to scrap the triple electricity tariff for shop signs, discussion until 14 October

A proposal would scrap the triple electricity tariff for shop signs and outdoor advertising. A draft Cabinet of Ministers resolution has been published for public discussion at the initiative of the business ombudsman. The document has not yet been adopted.

The discussion on the regulation.adliya.uz portal runs until 14 October 2026. If the draft is adopted, electricity for signs and advertising will be paid for on general terms.

The current rules

Since 1 November 2023, under Cabinet Resolution No. 294 of 15 July 2023, electricity used for illumination, garlands and outdoor advertising has been charged at a coefficient of 3 on the tariff for tariff group II. At a tariff of 1,100 soums per kWh, that comes to 3,300 soums. The rule is now set out in paragraph 81 of the Rules for the Use of Electricity (Cabinet Resolution No. 319 of 31 May 2024).

Consumption is measured by a separate meter on the sign or, if there is none, by calculation. Business owners whose signs are connected to a shared meter report back-charges of 20–40 million soums per site for the previous three years.

What is proposed

• Delete paragraph 81 entirely, scrapping the coefficient of 3
• Add paragraph 21-1 to the Regulation on measures of legal enforcement for offences in the use of fuel and energy resources (Cabinet Resolution No. 121 of 26 February 2025)

An order before a penalty

Under the new paragraph 21-1, before imposing a financial penalty the authorised body must issue a written order to the business to remedy the breach voluntarily and compensate the damage in full.

• At least 10 working days to comply
• If the order is complied with on time, no penalty is imposed
• A decision on the penalty is taken within 5 working days after the deadline
• The rule does not apply to budget organisations and recipients of budget funds

What this means in practice. Until the draft is adopted, the coefficient of 3 still applies and back-charges for past periods remain possible. Owners of shops, cafés and offices with signs should check how their advertising is connected and how its consumption is calculated.

If you have already received a back-charge, keep the report and the calculation and check the period and volumes against the meter readings. Comments on the draft can be submitted on the portal until 14 October.

Photo: Basile Morin, Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)