KHOROG, April 25, 2009, Asia-Plus — The Pamir Energy Company (PamirEnergy) has an opportunity to provide the city of Khorog and four adjacent districts with electrical power all the year round, the GBAO governor Qodir Qosim told reporters in Khorog on April 23.
According to him, Deputy Prime Minister, Asadullo Ghulomov, gave such an instruction to the GBAO authorities and PamirEnergy during his recent visit to Gorno Badakhshan.
The governor noted that twelve-month provision of electricity was possible in case of solution of a number of problems facing production and consumption of electricity in the region. “Firstly, it is necessary to complete repairs to the second unit of the Pamir-1 hydropower plant before the winter period that is practicable,” said the governor, “This will increase the plant’s capacity to 28 megawatt. Secondly, it is necessary to complete work on installation of individual electricity meters to all consumers in the city and the adjacent districts that will allow preventing illegal connection in power transmission lines and reducing commercial power losses.”
In the meantime, representative from PamirEnergy told Asia-Plus that installation of new electricity meters and tightening control over use of electricity had allowed the company to reduce power losses by 16 percent compared to 2006. “This has allowed the company to provide Khorog and four districts of the region with electricity 16-18 hours per day in winter period of 2007-2008 and 22-24 hours per day in winter period of 2008-2009,” the source said.
“Rehabilitation work and repairs to the station, replacement of some transformer stations and power transmission lines, installation of new electricity meters and legal and rational use of electrical power by customers will allow us to provide them with electricity regularly all the year round,” he noted.
PamirEnergy, which is 70% owned by the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED) and 30% by the World Bank’s private finance division, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), has a 25 year concession on the assets formerly under the management on Barqi Tojik (Tajik electric systems) in GBAO. In exchange for this concession (management right), PamirEnergy invests in completing the Pamir hydropower station, rehabilitating power generation, transmission and distribution assets, and improving the management of the company.
