KHUJAND, March 3, 2010, Asia-Plus — It is necessary to construct a new power transmission line in order to resume power supply to the Tajik-Chinese Mining Company deployed in the settlement of Zarnisor, Sughd province.
Senior representatives from the Sughd electricity supply enterprise have met with top managers of the company to discuss this issue. “It is necessary to discuss who will finance the construction of the new power grid if the issue is solved positively,” said the source at the Sughd electricity supply enterprise. “If the sides come to an agreement, it will be necessary to construct a 35-kilometer power transmission line.”
As it had been reported earlier, lack of electricity forced the company to stop operations at Paybulak and Altyntopkan mines. Some 300 people, with more than 50 percent of them being Tajik nationals, now work for the Tajik-Chinese Mining Company.
Uzbekistan cut off electricity supplies to the settlement of Zarnisor for unknown reasons on February 4. On February 10, Sughd power engineering specialists resumed power supply to the settlement. They extended a 2-kilometer overhead circuit to the settlement from domestic power supply sources. However, power supplies were resumed only to residential customers, who now receive Tajik electricity, while the Tajik-Chinese Mining Company deployed in the settlement has not yet received electricity.
According to Sodiq Rustamov, head of the energy and industries department within the Sughd regional administration, the concentrating mill of the Tajik-Chinese Mining Company with rated capacity of processing up to one million tons of ore per year has already been prepared for introduction into operation. The plant will produce lead and zinc concentrates.
