Kyrgyzstan Considers Cash Compensation for Electricity for Low-Income Families

Kyrgyzstan's Ministry of Labor, Social Security, and Migration is considering a significant shift in how it supports low-income families with electricity costs. The ministry has put forward a draft resolution for public discussion that proposes replacing the current preferential electricity tariff system with a monthly cash compensation program.

This new initiative targets families receiving the state benefit known as "uy-bulogo kemok." Under the proposed system, eligible families would receive a monthly monetary compensation. The amount is calculated as the difference between the standard electricity tariff and the existing preferential rate, which is set at 50 tyiyns per kilowatt-hour.

The compensation would be capped at 400 kilowatt-hours per month during the summer period (April 1 to October 1) and 700 kilowatt-hours per month during the winter period (October 1 to April 1). According to ministry data as of July 1, 2026, over 41,000 low-income families receive the "uy-bulogo kemok" benefit. Of these, nearly 40,000 already utilize electricity benefits, but some are excluded due to issues like lack of housing or permanent registration.

The new mechanism is designed to extend coverage to all benefit recipients, eliminating the need to link compensation directly to individual electricity consumer accounts. The territorial departments of the ministry would manage the appointment and disbursement of these funds, integrated with the "uy-bulogo kemok" benefit payment process through a digital system.

Implementing this resolution is projected to incur additional expenses for the national budget, estimated at 448.6 million soms for the year 2027. The ministry aims to streamline support and ensure that all families qualifying for the "uy-bulogo kemok" benefit receive consistent assistance with their electricity expenses.