DUSHANBE, June 20, 2008, Asia-Plus — A signing of an agreement between Tajikistan and Afghanistan on purchase of Tajik electricity has been postponed for a later time for technical reasons, according to the Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoEI).
The agreement was supposed to be signed in Dushanbe on June 20 but the sides have new proposals to be discussed by the energy ministries of the two countries, and therefore, signing of the agreement has been postponed for a later time, the source at a MoEI said.
We will recall that under agreement, Tajik electrical power will be transmitted to the neighboring country via a 220kV power-transmission line Sangtuda-1 – Pul-e Khumri (Afghanistan). Construction of this power grid is funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which has allocated a $50 million loan for the project.
The project includes construction of the power grid and modernization of one of units at the Golovnaya hydropower plant in Sarband, Khatlon province. The estimated budget for construction of the power-transmission line alone is some $23 million. Construction of 120-kilometer power grid Sangtuda-1 – Pul-e Khumri will start this autumn and will be finished in spring 2010.
In 2010-2015, Tajikistan will supply electrical power to Afghanistan only during summer months, and only with introduction into operation of the first unit of the Roghun hydroelectric power station, Tajik electricity supplies to Afghanistan will be year-round.
