DUSHANBE, November 27, Asia-Plus —
Russia is ready to
implement the Roghun hydroelectricity project and offers the Russian conglomerate Unified Energy Systems (RAO YeES) as main partner in the project, Russian Ambassador to Tajikistan Ramazan Abdulatipov announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on November 27. He added, “Russia is ready to implement the project, but only in interest of both countries.”
Russian diplomat gave the news conference to outline topical issues of bilateral relations between Russia and Tajikistan.
Ambassador Abdulatipov reminded that Russian President Putin had stated that part of funds for implementation of that project would be provided from Russia’s federal budget. .
According to him, the Russian side has practically prepared a draft agreement on the Roghun hydroelectricity project and as soon as it is prepared it will be signed by both sides.
“I think we have immensely delayed the process because of disagreements between the company [Rusal] and the Tajik government,” Abdulatipov said.
Asked about share of Russia in the project, Russian diplomat said, “We count on the share about which we will come to an agreement with Tajikistan.”
He further added that model and height of hydroelectric plant’s dam should be defined by specialists but not politicians.
We will recall that no plant was built because both sides became bogged down in the plant’s dam model and height, crucial factors in its capacity.
As it had been reported earlier, a statement released by Tajik president’s office announced on August 29, 2007 that Tajikistan has formally revoked a contract with Russia’s Rusal aluminum company for construction of the Roghun hydroelectric power station (HPS). The statement explained that the cancellation of the contract also includes the annulment of the October 2004 agreement on long-term cooperation with Rusal. According to the contract, Rusal agreed to construct the Roghun HPS, the largest such facility in Tajikistan, with a planned generation of capacity of 13 billion kWh of electricity per year.
