Uzbekistan Proposes Reform of Liquefied Gas Supply System

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev has reviewed proposals to gradually reform the country’s liquefied gas supply system, including the creation of a new structure for gas procurement and delivery, targeted compensation for socially vulnerable consumers and greater participation by private companies, the Presidential Press Service said.

Around 3.8 million consumers and nearly 2,000 social-sector facilities currently receive liquefied gas in Uzbekistan. For 2026, supplies of 604,800 tonnes of liquefied gas have been planned for households and social facilities.

The presentation reviewed the existing supply system, including the balance of resources and distribution, pricing and subsidies. It was noted that in some regions gas is delivered later than the established schedule, forcing consumers to purchase additional volumes at vehicle gas-filling stations at market prices.

According to the analysis presented, 22% of consumers receive liquefied gas at intervals of more than 46 days. As a result of such delays, some households effectively spend several times more on gas than the established subsidized price.

Households and social-sector facilities currently receive liquefied gas at preferential prices. However, the gap between the costs of production, imports, procurement and delivery is widening, increasing the need for budget subsidies.

The proposed reform calls for the establishment of LPG-Trade LLC, with Hududgaztaminot as its founder. The new company would purchase liquefied gas through the exchange and organize its delivery to households in accordance with established procedures.

At the same time, the retail price would be determined using economically justified mechanisms. Socially vulnerable groups are planned to receive compensation for each kilogram of liquefied gas purchased.

The reform would gradually shift government support from a general subsidy system to targeted assistance for individual consumers. The proposed mechanism is expected to improve the efficiency of public spending and provide more focused support to families in need.

For social-sector facilities, liquefied gas would be purchased at exchange prices, while the negative difference arising when gas is sold to households at the regulated price would be covered by the state budget.

Another part of the proposals concerns greater involvement of private businesses. A pilot project involving private liquefied gas delivery operators is planned in Andijan Region. Operators would be required to hold the necessary licenses and permits and employ qualified specialists.

At least two operators are expected to participate in the pilot project, alongside the introduction of a mobile application and online services for consumers. Given the number of consumers and the distance between locations, additional facilities are also planned in compliance with urban planning standards and fire safety requirements.

The possibility of extending the approach to other regions will be considered based on the results of the pilot project.

Mirziyoyev stressed that the reform should be based on accurate calculations while taking into account convenience for the population and the principles of social justice.

The responsible agencies were instructed to ensure gas deliveries according to the established schedule, digitalize settlements, make distribution more transparent and prevent artificial shortages and unjustified price increases.

They were also tasked with ensuring the timely payment of compensation to socially vulnerable groups, compliance with safety requirements at gas-filling facilities and during transportation, and stronger oversight of private operators.

The reform is expected to shorten liquefied gas delivery times, improve service quality for consumers and ensure more efficient use of budget funds.

The presentation also included information on the implementation of additional instructions issued on 2 September concerning the construction of external infrastructure and a satellite city for the integrated nuclear power plant being built in Jizzakh Region.