DUSHANBE, January 14, Asia-Plus — Introduction of the first of four units of the Sangtuda-1 hydroelectric power station (HPS) has been postponed until today.
We will recall that the unit was expected to be introduced into non-load operation on January 13.
In the meantime, the source at open joint-stock company Sangtuda HPS-1, which is constructing the station, told Asia-Plus Monday morning that said that Andrey Rappoport, member of the board of Russia’s Unified Energy Systems (RAO YeES), arrived in Tajikistan yesterday evening to attend a ceremony of introduction of the first unit into non-load operation.
As it had been reported earlier, during two days the unit would run with no load. In a favorable contingency, the unit will be launched into operation on January 18.
The first unit of the Sangtuda-1 plant will have a planned capacity of 220 million kWh, and once all four units are completed, the station will have an annual projected capacity of 2.7 billion kWh of electricity.
Russia’s state-controlled energy entity Unified Energy Systems (RAO YeES) intends to launch the first unit into operation on January 18, 2008.
We will recall that Anatoly Chubais, head of Russia’s state-controlled energy entity YeES, last month said in an interview with Russia’s news agency Itar-Tass that he had approved the schedule of launch of the first unit – January 18, 2008. “I am sure we will launch it,” Chubais said, reminding that the first unit should have been launched in March 2008 but the Tajik government requested to speed up the launch of the first unit.
Russia’s Unified Energy Systems has spent approximately $500 million to build Sangtuda-1, and the Russian entity retains a 75 percent share in the power plant, which will generate a projected 2.7 billion kWh of electricity per annum. The power station will have an estimated capacity of 670 MW – enough to meet Tajikistan’s domestic needs and allow for the export of electricity, namely to Afghanistan.
