DUSHANBE. June 9. “Asia-Plus” — Change of the high Roghun dam by several small reservoirs and small hydropower plants will be ineffective, professor of the Sofia University of Architecture, Geodesy and Construction Boris Abajiev has said.
He believes that Tajikistan will not be able to create multiyear regulation of water flow, which can be done through the construction of Roghun’s dam only.
“Another reason for that lies in the fact that in winter the flow from small hydropower plants rapidly reduces and freezes. 335m height of Roghun dam is major parameter which specifies economic profitability of the given facility,” he said.
He noted that high efficiency of the Roghun hydropower plant will be achieved from both income from sale of electricity and irrigation.
Expert is confident that construction of the dam with 335m in height will deprive Tajikistan of capacity to regulate the flow in Vakhsh and Amudarya rivers.
Meanwhile, Abijiev believes that after termination of contract with Russian Rusal, some Uzbek scientists have casted doubts on the importance of Roghun reservoir and its safety. “These scientists touch upon such issues saying that there is a big seismic risk in the area of construction of Roghun hydropower plant. I agree that Tajikistan is prone to earthquakes and there is a definite seismic risk. But this risk can be removed by timely antiseismic measures,” he said.
Professor noted that with the collapse of the USSR there was a collapse of a compensation mechanism when upstream countries used to provide water to downstream countries in summer for irrigation purposes. “Nowadays upstream countries face shortage of electricity in winter period and this creates severe conditions. However, there is no other energy sources except water. Resolution of the given problem is quite obvious,” he added.
He proposed to rehabilitate this compensation system. Additionally, he said that there is a more clear and practical decision – pay for surpluses of water. “This practice is used worldwide,” he said.
