KHUJAND, November 10, 2009, Asia-Plus — A technical examination of the substation “Khujand” and a part of a 500-kilovolt power transmission line South-North has begun in Sughd’s Ghonchi district.
Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, the leading manager of construction of the power grid Abdumannon Qayumov noted that the technical examination would last till the end of this month and “if there are no any technical problems, the supply of electricity via this grid to the Sughd province will start.”
He also noted that construction of a 220-kilovolt power transmission line that will connect the South-North power grid with the Sughd power system was also nearing completion.
The substation “Khujand” is connected with the southern substation “Dushanbe,” built near the village of Chorbogh in the Varzob district.
We will recall that in April 2006, Tajikistan”s national electric power company, Barqi Tojik, signed deals with a Chinese company to build two power transmission lines in Tajikistan. Under the contracts, Barqi Tojik and the China Theban Electric Apparatus Stock build a 350-kilometer power line, linking the country”s south with the north, and another 95-kilometer line in the Khatlon province. China”s Eximbank has provided 95 percent of the combined US$340 million cost of the projects and the remaining 5 percent has been provided by the Tajik government. The cost of the South-North power grids project is 281.3 million U.S. dollars.
The Sughd province has been dependent on the Soviet-era energy supply system that has provided electricity from neighboring Uzbekistan via southern Tajikistan for decades.
