DUSHANBE, March 14, 2009, Asia-Plus — The progress of implementation of the Roghun hydroelectricity project (HEP) was discussed at a two-day meeting at the site for the Roghun hydroelectric power station (HPS) on March 12-13, according to Barqi Tojik power holding.
First Deputy Prime Minister, Asadullo Ghulomov, as well as senior representatives from Barqi Tojik and a number of relevant ministries and organizations took part the meeting that was presided over by Prime Minister Oqil Oqilov.
The meeting discussed a number of problems arising during implementation of large projects, including financing as well as construction of main facilities, the source said.
We will recall that construction of a dam for the Roghun HPS will start in late 2009 and the first two units of the station are expected to be introduced into operation in three or four years. This year’s national budget earmarks 150 million US dollars for construction of the Roghun HPS. Last year, 50 million US dollars were allocated for the Roghun hydroelectricity project.
Tajikistan has taken efforts to complete the dam on the Vakhsh River, some 110 kilometers east of the capital, Dushanbe. The 3,600 MWt Roghun hydroelectric power station is to generate 13 billion kWh of electricity per year. Construction was launched in 1976 already and the first unit was supposed to be introduced into operation in 1993, but construction was interrupted in 1990 due deterioration of political situation in the country. Tajikistan’s fast-flowing mountain rivers have a potential hydropower capacity of 527 billion kilowatt hours a year, among the largest in the world, according to international experts. Energy sales would bring a substantial boon to the country.
