DUSHANBE, December 19, Asia-Plus – Visiting official of Russia’s Unified Energy Systems (RAO YeES) Andrei Rappoport has visited the site of construction of the Sangtuda-1 hydroelectric power station (HPS) plant on the Vakhsh River to get acquainted with a progress of construction of the station and work on preparation of the first unit for introduction in operation.
The source at the Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoEI) said that Rapoport had held a meeting with participation of top managers from joint-stock company (OJSC) Sangtuda-1 HPS, which is being constructed the plant. Rappoport arrived in Dushanbe on a working visit yesterday evening.
The source added that the date of introduction of the unit into operation was still unknown.
A joint meeting of the boards of a MoEI and OJSC Sangtuda-1 HPS, as well as senior representatives of other companies, involved in the construction of station, will be held in Dushanbe today afternoon.
During his stay in Dushanbe, Rappoport is also expected to hold talks with president Emomali Rahmon.
According to the initial schedule of construction of the Sangtuda-1 station, the first unit should have been introduced into operation on April 15, 2008. But at the request of the Tajik government the introduction was brought forward to December 21 this year. However, introduction of the first unit of the Sangtuda-1 HPS was postponed until late December, due to some technical problems.
We will recall that Russia’s Unified Energy Systems (RAO YeES) is spending approximately $500 million to build Sangtuda-1, and the Russian entity retains a 75 percent share in the power plant, which will generate a projected 2.7 billion kWh of electricity per annum. The power station will have an estimated capacity of 670 MW – enough to meet Tajikistan’s domestic needs and allow for the export of electricity, namely to Afghanistan.
