DUSHANBE, August 21, 2008, Asia-Plus — The World bank hopes that the next winter will not be as difficult as the past one was.
The World Bank Senior Energy Specialist for Europe and Central Asia, Mr. Raghuveer Sharma, remarked this while speaking to reporters in Dushanbe on August 21.
According to him, it depends on rational use of water resources. “If accumulated waters are used rationally, the winter will be much easier,” Mr. Sharma said, adding that according to his information, the present water levels at the Norak reservoir reached the level of 900 meters.
He said that Tajikistan and Turkmenistan had concluded a contract on the supply of Turkmen electricity to Tajikistan in autumn-winter 2008-2009. Besides, Tajikistan will also import Uzbek electrical power in the autumn-winter period.
The World Bank senior energy specialist also noted that in the next winter, Tajikistan will have its own electricity 300 MW more due to introduction of two units of the Santuda-1 hydropower plant into operation.
Besides, the World Bank will support rehabilitation of the Dushanbe and Yovon head and power stations as well as the Norak hydroelectric power station, Mr. Sharma said. The Bank also intends to provide assistance with improvement of power grids, according to him.
All these measures are aimed at providing domestic market with electrical power, the senior energy specialist stressed.
Mr. Sharma also noted that in the future, with construction of the gas pipeline Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Tajikistan the republic will get access to the Turkmen natural gas. According to him, they just started conducting feasibility study for the project that will be funded by the World Bank.
