DUSHANBE, January 21, Asia-Plus — The first of four units of Sangtuda-1 hydroelectric power station (HPS) was launched on January 20.
President Emomali Rahmon and visiting Russia’s Deputy Prime Minister Sergey Naryshkin and Russian state-controlled energy entity Unified Energy System (RAO YeES) Anatoly Chubais attended the launch ceremony.
The unit is the first to be launched in the territory of the CIS after collapse of the Soviet Union.
President Rahmon noted that electrical power generated by the first unit of the Sangtuda-1 HPS was the first step towards achievement of Tajikistan’s energy independence.
The remaining three units are planned to be introduced into operation every four months and the station is expected to be finished by the end of this year.
The Tajik head of state named the station an important factor that strengthens strategic partnership between Tajikistan and the Russian Federation and expressed confidence that this partnership would continue in implementation of other large projects as well.
He noted that beginning on Sunday evening, the supply of daily electricity to the country would increase by one hour.
Speaking at the ceremony, Russian vice-premier noted that the launch of the first unit was the result of persistent efforts of Russia and Tajik specialists. He stressed that Russian-Tajik partnership served not only interests of both countries but it was also guarantee of peace and stability in the region.
Speaking to journalists, Rahmon and Chubais noted that many-sided cooperation between Tajikistan and Russia encouraging. They confirmed readiness of Tajikistan and Russia to jointly complete construction of the Roghun hydroelectric power station and said that it was one of important facilities in the territory of the Central Asian region.
The same day, Tajik president and Russian deputy prime minister held a meeting to discuss state and prospects of further expansion of bilateral cooperation between Tajikistan and Russia. They, in particular, considered further steps to complete construction of the Sangtuda-1 and Roghun plants.
In the meantime, Russia’s Itar-Tass reports that Russian Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov has awarded governmental certificates of merit to supervisors of the Sangtuda-1 hydropower plant project in Tajikistan.
“The certificates of merit were awarded to Deputy Industry and Energy Minister Andrei Dementyev, Sangtuda HPS-1 General Director Rakhmetulla Alzhanov and top managers of the Unified Energy System of Russia (YeES) for the early commissioning of the power plant’s first unit,” the governmental press service said.
