DUSHANBE, January, Asia-Plus — Tajik parliament has ratified a supplement to a June 11, 2005 memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Iran and Tajikistan on the construction of the Sangtuda-2 hydropower plant in Tajikistan.
A regular sitting of the third session of the Majlisi Namoyandagon (Tajikistan’s lower chamber of parliament) of the third convocation, presided over by its chairman, Saydullo Khairulloyev, was held on January 10.
Asomuddin Saidov, head of the Majlisi Namoyandagon Committee on International Affairs, Public Associations and Information, said in an interview with Asia-Plus that the supplement concerns Tajikistan’s government guarantees to the Iranian side.
Saidov said that under the agreement between Tajikistan and Iran to construct the Sangtuda-2 power plant in Tajikistan, signed by energy ministers of the two countries in Tehran on June 11, 2005, Iran will contribute $180 million and Tajikistan $40 million. The work on the project is slated to take four year. The Iranian side wanted government guarantees from Tajikistan, Tajik MP said.
According to Saidov, the MoU was drawn up in 19 articles and an addenda was also made to the article under which, once the power plant is built, all the revenue over the next 12.5 years will go to the investor, and Tajikistan will become the owner of Sangtuda-2 after this period expires.
“Besides, the Iranian side is exempted from paying all types of taxes during the period of the construction of the plant and the tax on sale of electricity after the plant is put into operation,” the parliamentarian said.
Saidov added that during 12.5 years, when the all revenue go to the investor, electricity generated by the Sangtuda-2 plant will be supplied to Tajikistan at world prices, 2.98 cents for each kWh. According to him, an agreement on purchase/sale of electricity generated by the Sangtuda-2 station has been signed by Iran’s Tarh-e Sangtuda-2 and Tajik power holding Barqi Tojik (Tajik electric systems). “Although the agreement has been signed the rate may possibly be reviewed,” Tajik MP noted.
The construction of the Sangtuda-2 hydroelectric power station on the Vakhsh River in southern Tajikistan officially commenced on February 20, 2006. The station will be finished in 2010. Chief contractor of the project is Iran’s Sangab.
