DUSHANBE, January 8, Asia-Plus — Despite recent heavy snowfalls, work on construction of the Sangtuda-1 hydroelectric power station (HPS) is carried out in accordance with schedule, according to the Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoEI).
However, some sources said that the snowfall made construction work rather difficult. “But despite these difficulties, the first of four units of the Sangtuda-1 station will be put into operation in time, on January 18,” the source at open joint-stock company (OJSC) Sangtuda-1 HPS said, noting that work on mounting the first unit is in full swing.
As it had been reported earlier, Russia’s state-controlled energy entity Unified Energy Systems (RAO YeES) intends to launch the first unit into operation on January 18, 2008.
Anatoly Chubais, head of Russian conglomerate 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.
In this connection, the YeES administration last summer revised the schedule of the launch of the station. The Russian energy conglomerate tried to launch the first unit on December 21 but failed.
According to Chubais, specialists from RAO YeES are currently in Tajikistan to consider the issue.
We will recall that Barqi Tojik (Tajik electric systems) power holding announced on December 18 that the planned launch of the first unit, scheduled for December 21, would be delayed until the end of the month or early January 2008, due to some technical reasons.
We will recall that Russia’s Unified Energy Systems (RAO YeES) 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.
