Gov’t tightens penalties for utility theft and illegal network connections

Uzbekistan has approved tougher legal measures against the illegal use and theft of electricity, natural gas, thermal energy, and drinking water. In a move to combat violations in this area, the powers of Uzenergoinspeksiya, the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), and the Ministry of Emergency Situations (MES) will be expanded. The Legislative Chamber adopted the relevant law on June 24.

The new legislation aims to improve mechanisms for combating offenses in the fuel and energy sector. According to the current regulations, when a business entity unlawfully consumes electricity or uses gas as fuel or raw material, only the organization’s responsible official is held accountable. However, there were previously no legal grounds to prosecute individual entrepreneurs committing similar offenses.

In 2024 alone, over 17,600 cases of wasteful energy consumption and 7,600 violations involving the use of gas as fuel or raw material by individual entrepreneurs have been recorded.

Furthermore, Uzenergoinspeksiya previously lacked clearly defined legal authority to draw up administrative violation reports. Employees of the MIA and MES were also not authorized to issue such reports.

Under the new law, Uzenergoinspeksiya is now officially empowered to draft administrative violation reports. It also grants MIA and MES personnel the authority to issue administrative citations for unauthorized and wasteful use of electricity.

Additionally, individual entrepreneurs will now be legally recognized as subjects of administrative liability for energy-related offenses.

Most notably, the law introduces stricter penalties for illegal connections to utility networks and theft of electricity, gas, and water.

Specifically, the Criminal Code will now impose higher fines for violations involving the misuse of electricity, thermal energy, gas, or drinking water. Repeat offenses following administrative penalties will lead to harsher consequences. Amendments and clarifications will also be made to several articles of the Administrative Code.

As of June 2023, amendments to the Criminal and Administrative Codes already allowed for up to 5 years of imprisonment for illegal use of electricity, gas, or water. For minor offenses, violators may face fines ranging from 10 to 20 times the base calculation value (BCV) or up to 15 days of administrative detention.

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