DUSHANBE, July 23, 2015, Asia-Plus — Tajik Minister of Energy and Water Resources Usmonali Usmonzoda says the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) is conducting feasibility study for a power plant with medium-sized capacity that will be constructed in the Rushan district of the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO).
Speaking to reporters in Dushanbe, Usmonzoda noted on July 22 that the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources (MEWR) and the AKF had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on construction of the Sanobod hydroelectric power plant (HPP) in the Rushan district.
“Under this document, the AKF will conduct feasibility study for the plant that will have capacity of 100 to 125 MW,” the minister said.
Usmonzoda expressed confidence that there will be no problems with attraction of funds from international financial institutions for construction of the Sanobod HPP.
The Sanobod HPP that will be built in the Rushan district of Gorno Badakhshan is expected to supply electricity to neighboring areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan because practically all customers in Gorno Badakhshan, particular in Rushan, are provided with electricity twenty-four hours a day.
We will recall that in his speech during the inauguration of the Vanj Bridge in August 2011, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon noted that “time will come when Afghanistan”s entire northern region will be provided with cheap electricity after we build the Sanobod hydroelectric power plant.”
All power generation, transmission and distribution facilities in Gorno Badakhshan are operated by Open Joint Stock Company (OJSC) Pamir Energy.
Pamir Energy is a private utility that was formed in 2002 by the Aga Khan Development Network (under a 25 year Concession Agreement with the Government of Tajikistan) to restore electricity services in GBAO, Tajikistan through the development of hydropower and the rehabilitation of the transmission and distribution networks. Pamir Energy is the result of combined investment: 70% provided by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) and 30% by the International Finance Corporation (IFC). Components of the company have been financed by AKFED, IFC, the Government of Switzerland, and through a World Bank loan provided to the Government of Tajikistan.
Current total capacity of power plants operated by Pamir Energy is about 44 MW.
