The country's 5.3 million residents face blackouts six hours a day, while saunas and other businesses making intensive use of electricity will be cut off, the industry and energy ministry announced.

Customers with unpaid electricity bills will also be cut off.

"Now that the worst of the cold and electricity demand has peaked, we are forced to introduce such measures," the ministry said in a statement.

The former Soviet republic, which borders China, has suffered temperatures as low as minus 30 degrees Celsius (minus 25 Fahrenheit) this winter, more than double the norm.

The cold snap froze rivers feeding the Toktogulskoye reservoir, in turn crippling a key hydroelectric power station.

Water levels in the reservoir have fallen by 30 metres (98 feet) in the last four months and need to be allowed to rise again in preparation for next winter, the energy ministry said.

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