DUSHANBE, August 9, Asia-Plus – The implementation of the Energy Loss Reduction Project seeking to assist in reducing the commercial losses in the electricity and gas systems in Tajikistan is supposed to start in 2007, according to information from the Ministry of Energy.
The Project is expected to lay the foundation towards improving the financial viability of the electricity and gas utilities, in a socially, responsible manner that will take into account the interests of all of the country’s population groups.
The Electricity Component will supply, and install new electrical energy meters in the Dushanbe electricity network; and, design, procure, and install the Electricity Billing System. Technical Assistance (TA) will be provided for Project implementation, financial management auditing, and electricity exports promotion. The Gas component will supply and install gas meters, and the gas billing system, and in addition, TA will support project implementation, financial management auditing, electricity exports promotion and development,
For the implementation of the Project the Energy Loss Reduction Project Management Unit has already been set up, according to the source. According to data from the Ministry of Energy, Tajikistan’s annual commercial losses in the electricity system amount to more than 2 billion kWh.
We will recall that in June last year, the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved an Energy Loss Reduction Project for the Republic of Tajikistan. This project is funded by the Bank in the amount of US$18 million, of which US$15 million is an IDA credit and US$3 million is an IDA grant. The Swiss Government, through its Secretariat for Economic Cooperation (SECO), co-finances the Project with a grant in the amount of US$8 million.
