DUSHANBE, April 19, 2011, Asia-Plus — A Roghun reservoir will not affect microclimate in Tajikistan; on contrary, it will promote “stabilization of a half-dry continental climate in the republic,” Talbak Salimov, chairman of the Committee for Environmental Protection under the Government of Tajikistan, told reporters in Dushanbe on April 18.
According to him, the reservoir may also promote turning the Roghun area into a tourist zone, if an appropriate infrastructure is constructed there.
Salimov noted that Uzbek authorities were all over themselves to prove negative impact of the Roghun hydroelectricity project on Central Asia’s environmental balance. “But all arguments put forward by Uzbek ecologists are unfounded and we will uphold our right to construction of this hydropower facility.”
We will recall Tashkent has warned Dushanbe of potential damage by the Roghun power plant to Central Asia”s “frail environmental balance.”
Tajik official considers that the Uzbek authorities have too politicized the Roghun subject.
Construction of the Roghun HPP was started around 1980 and was stopped in 1992. Since then, the Government of Tajikistan has allocated a minimum budget to continue works on a low key and maintenance basis. Currently most of the site preparation works as well as an estimated 70% of the underground works have reportedly been completed. The installed capacity is proposed to be 6×600 MW (totaling 3,600 MW) and the annual power generation would be 13,300 GWh. Despite significant storage, Roghun HPP is expected to produce electricity in Tajikistan and develop irrigation in the region. The majority of the electricity to be produced by Roghun HPP is expected to be exported.
These plans have raised serious concerns across the border in Uzbekistan. Uzbek officials argue that because it could take up to 18 years to fill, the Roghun project will severely reduce the amount of water flowing into Uzbekistan.
In March 2010, the government of Tajikistan and the World Bank signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation to achieve sustainable development of Tajikistan”s energy resources, secure supply of energy services to the people of Tajikistan and promote balanced economic growth. Under this document, the techno-economic, the environmental and social impact assessments for the Roghun hydroelectricity project will be conducted Hydropower Project (HPP).
