DUSHANBE, November 8, Asia-Plus — The issue of construction of the Zarafshon, or Yovon, hydropower plant in northern Tajikistan will probably be resolved one of these days in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.
According to Tajik MFA, a Tajik delegation, comprising representatives of the ministries of foreign affairs, energy and industries, land reclamation and water resources, as well as Barqi Tojik power holding, Thursday left for Tashkent to hold two-day consultations with Uzbek authorities on the construction of the Zarafshon plant.
The source at a MFA said that the meeting is a logic continuation of negotiations between the two countries on rational use of water and energy resources in the region.
We will recall that China”s Sinohydro Corporation has been granted a contract to build the Zarafshon, or Yovon, plant, which should produce some 600 million kWh of electricity a year. The relevant contract was signed on January 17, 2007 in Beijing, on the sidelines of Tajik President Emomali Rahmon”s visit to the Chinese capital.
The project will reportedly be funded through a $200 million, low-interest Chinese loan.
Tajikistan is regularly hit by electricity shortages, and is pursuing greater self-sufficiency in the energy sector. It is largely dependent on Kyrgyz energy supplies that are transported through Uzbekistan.
