DUSHANBE, October 29, 2009, Asia-Plus — Speaking to builders at the site for construction of the Roghun hydroelectric power plant (HPP), President Emomali Rahmon noted on October 28 that an appreciable progress has been made in construction of the station over the past year, according to presidential press service.
Tajik leader noted that 130 million somoni were spent last year for implementation of the Roghun hydroelectricity project and over the first nine months of this year, another 308 million somoni have been spent for completing the construction of the station.
This year, the country’s national budget has earmarked 533 million somoni for the Roghun hydroelectricity project and 423 million somoni, or 80 percent, has already been allocated, the president said.
“We began work on the construction of the station at the beginning of last year and only 635 people and 46 vehicles and equipment worked at the site that time,” said Rahmon, “Over the last year, the number of builders has increased to 6,000 people and the number of vehicles and equipment has increased to 553.”
He added that the budget for 2010 projects expenditure of more than 650 million somoni on construction of the Roghun HPP, which is 22 percent more than this year.
“The number of workers and specialists is expected to increase to 13,000 people by the main stage of the construction work,” said Rahmon, “In this connection, the government should take additional measures to provide favorable conditions of life and work for the workers and specialists at the Roghun site.”
The first two units of the Roghun HPP are scheduled to be introduced into operation in three-four years, and therefore, it is necessary to launch preparatory work already today, the president said.
He also added that for the purpose of attracting investments for implementation of the Roghun hydroelectricity project and creating international consortium for completing the construction of the station Tajikistan jointly with the World Bank had started work on carrying out examination of safety of the dam safety and engineering works as well as social-environmental assessment of the station.
