Electricity is more than just light in a home. It keeps food fresh, powers heaters during freezing winters, and ensures clean water for children to drink. In the Kyrgyz Republic — a country where almost every household is connected to the grid — one might assume children benefit fully from these advantages. But there is a catch: the power supply is unreliable.
Frequent blackouts force families to fall back on traditional fuels like wood, coal, or dung for heating and cooking. While these help households get by, they also create smoky indoor air, worsen living conditions, and can affect children’s health.
Using household panel data from across Kyrgyzstan, our research examined how frequent power outages influence the growth of children under five. Growth was measured through height-for-age scores, a standard global indicator of childhood stunting and long-term well-being.
Children in households facing outages more than once a month were, on average, 0.37 standard deviations shorter for their age compared to children in otherwise similar households with more reliable electricity.
The negative impact was much stronger for girls. Their height-for-age scores dropped nearly 60% more than boys’, suggesting the presence of gender bias in how scarce household resources are allocated.
While weight-for-age outcomes were not significantly affected, the evidence on height highlights how chronic and repeated disruptions in energy supply can leave lasting scars on children’s development.
These findings show that electricity reliability is not just about economic productivity or comfort — it directly shapes children’s health and future potential. In Kyrgyzstan, where winters can be harsh and incomes low, energy insecurity can silently translate into stunted growth and poorer life chances, especially for girls.
Ensuring reliable power supply is as important as expanding grid access. Investments in infrastructure, better pricing strategies, and targeted social protections can help reduce outages and shield families from resorting to harmful alternatives. Addressing these issues is not only a matter of energy reform but also of child health, gender equality, and long-term human development.
Sargsyan Y., Turdaliev S. (2023). Powering Up Child Growth: The Impact of Electricity Outages on Children's Anthropometric Outcomes in Kyrgyz Republic. Eastern European Economics, 62(04). https://doi.org/10.1080/00128775.2023.2291382. ISSN: 0012-8775.