DUSHANBE, January 29, Asia-Plus — “Today, we cannot speak just about limited power supplies across the country, because we have used practically all existing reserves,” Sharifkhon Samiyev, the head of state-controlled energy company Barqi Tojik (Tajik electric systems), announced at a press conference in Dushanbe on January 28.
According to him, the government is currently taking efforts to provide the capitlal city with electrical power. “Dushanbe residents have driven us to so state that we thinking only of them day and night,” the Barqi Tojik top manager said.
“The capital city now receives electricity at rate of 8-10 million kWh per day,” Samiyev said, noting that electricity to Kulob, Qurghon Teppa and some districts adjoining Dushanbe is supplied at the rate of 30,000 kWh per day as far as possible.
On the water levels at the Norak reservoir, Samiyev said that water levels at the reservoir have fallen from 910 meters above sea level on September 17, 2007 to 863 meters. “In accordance with directions for operation of the plant, it is prohibited to use the reservoir for powering the plant if the water levels in the reservoir fall to 857 meters above sea level;” he said.
According to expert estimations, the present volume of water at the reservoir is sufficient to power the Norak electric power station (HPS) only until February 10. “After that, the station will work only on water inflows in the Vakhsh River,” the Barqi Tojik top manager said. In this case, the daily generation of electrical power by the station will reduce from the present 39 million kWh to some 25 million kWh.
Samiyev noted that today, the only hope is for electricity supplies from Turkmenistan. “We are currently negotiating with our Turkmen colleagues the possibility of increasing electricity imports from Turkmenistan,” he said, reminding that Tajikistan now receives electrical power from Turkmenistan at the rate of some 3.25 million per day.
In the meantime, in accordance with an agreement signed between Tajikistan and Turkmenistan in October 2007, Turkmenistan is planned to supply electricity to Tajikistan during autumn-winter period at the rate of 6 million kWh per day.
