DUSHANBE, February 6, 2009, Asia-Plus — Iran intends to participate in the project to complete the construction of the Roghun hydroelectric power station (HPS) in Tajikistan, Iranian Ambassador to Tajikistan, Mr. Ali-Asghar Sherdoust, told reporters in Dushanbe on February 5.
According to him, an agreement on this subject was reached during a meeting of visiting Iran’s Minister of Commerce Masoud Mirkazemi with President Emomali Rahmon.
Iranian diplomat noted that his country would participate in the Roghun hydroelectricity project within the framework of international Tajikistan intended to set up for completion of the Roghun HPS. “Iran will participate in the project but it has not been yet decided who will represent our country in the consortium,”, Mr. Sherdoust said, noting that they are currently considering the possibility of attracting private companies to participate in the project.
We will recall that Tajikistan has long sought an investor to complete the dam on the Vakhsh River, some 120 kilometers east of the capital, Dushanbe.
In August 2007, the government revoked a contract with Russia”s RusAl aluminum company for the construction of the Roghun HPS. Tajikistan decided to create an international consortium to complete the construction of the Roghun station.
Started in the Soviet time already, construction was interrupted by the 1992-97 civil war. The 3,600 megawatt Roghun HPS is to generate 13 billion kWh of electricity per year.
Last year, the national budget allocated 145 million somoni for the Roghun hydroelectricity project. This year, year the government intends to allocate funds four times more.
