DUSHANBE, January 26, 2009, Asia-Plus — In a report released at a press conference in Dushanbe, Deputy Energy and Industries Minister, Poulod Muhiddinov revealed on January 26 that because of interruption of Turkmen electricity deliveries to Tajikistan, the country is forced to keep the Norak hydroelectric power station (HPS) operating at maximum level.
If Turkmen power deliveries to the country via Uzbek power systems is not resumed in the near future, waters at the Norak reservoir will be enough to power the station on till mid-February. “The present rate of water inflow into the reservoir is 122 cubic meters per second while the rate of reservoir outflow used for production of electricity is 440 cubic meters per second,” said the deputy minister. “Next month, the rate of water inflow is expected to increase to 200 cubic meters per second; however, this will not result in the situation changing considerably.” Water levels at the Norak reservoir have fallen to 854 meters above seal level to this date and it just remained only seven meters to the critical level of 857 meters, Muhiddinov said.
He noted that in this connection, it could not be ruled out that the government might review the electricity supply schedule and electricity rationing would be introduced in Dushanbe as well.
“At present, the country’s regions, except Dushanbe, regional centers and strategic sites such as airports, hospitals, aluminum smelter and some other facilities, have electricity only three hour per day: one hour of electricity in the morning and two hours in the evening,” the power official said.
“On January 25, Tajikistan produced totaling 36.5 million kWh of electrical power; of this amount, 16 million kWh of electricity were supplied to the aluminum plant,” Muhiddinov said, noting that the supply of daily electricity to the aluminum plant may be reduced by 4 million kWh.
