Energy Ministry addresses surge in public complaints over mandatory solar panel installations

From 11:00 PM on October 7 to 8:00 AM on October 8, a total of 173 calls were made to the Ministry's public reception phone line, with none of them being answered due to the heavy call volume. This sparked public dissatisfaction, with citizens sharing their frustration on social media about being unable to reach the Ministry using the main hotline number (+99871-231-14-41).

Between the afternoon of October 7 and 8:30 PM on October 8, the Ministry received a staggering 1,232 calls. Only 131 of these calls were answered by staff from the reception office and the press service, with each call lasting between three to six minutes. However, due to limited staff—only one person handling the hotline—it was impossible to answer the remaining calls.

The Ministry noted that 54 calls were related to inquiries about government incentives for solar panel installations, while 28 calls addressed concerns about replacing electricity poles in local neighborhoods. Another 31 calls were from citizens who claimed they were being forced to install solar panels, with 14 of them stating that the issue occurred several days earlier.

Among the complaints, six citizens referred to the Ministry’s official statement, "There is No Obligation to Install Solar Panels," and reported that their electricity had been restored. Eight callers expressed their dissatisfaction with being pressured to install solar panels but acknowledged that the panels have since proven beneficial. Meanwhile, only 17 calls concerned actual, ongoing issues, such as entrepreneurs having their electricity cut off for not installing solar panels. The Ministry confirmed that these entrepreneurs have since been reconnected to the grid.

Additionally, over the last two days, power was restored to businesses in various districts, including Sergeli, Yashnobod, Yunusobod, and Bektemir in Tashkent, Boyovut in Syrdarya, Bandikhon in Surkhandarya, Buvayda in Fergana, and Kuyichirchik in Tashkent region.

In response to the influx of calls and public dissatisfaction, the Ministry announced that starting from October 9, inquiries will not only be handled via the existing hotline but also through additional numbers: +99871-231-16-61 (extensions 7046, 7037, and 7057).

The Ministry previously faced criticism after several businesses in the Altinkul district were disconnected from the power supply for not installing solar panels. Social media reports also claimed that a methane station in one of Namangan’s districts had its gas supply cut off for failing to install solar panels, leading to long queues at other stations.

The Ministry has since condemned the practice of forcing businesses to install solar panels, calling it illegal under national regulations. While the Ministry neither confirmed nor denied these reports, it emphasized that such actions by electricity suppliers, which fall under the Ministry’s direct control, violate the law.