DUSHANBE, May 20, 2011, Asia-Plus — Iranian company, Farab CO, which is building the Sangtuda-2 hydroelectric power plant (HPP) in Tajikistan, has chosen new routes for delivery of time cargo for the station in order to avoid possible delays in rail cargo via Uzbek territory.
Representative of Farab CO in Tajikistan, Said Askari, told Asia-Plus Friday afternoon that they will ship only freight that can wait via Uzbekistan.
According to him, they have been forced to do that following last year’s delays in rail cargo bound for Tajikistan via Uzbekistan.
We will recall that Uzbek authorities halted some 2,000 railroad cars with building materials bound for Tajikistan last year. At least 20 train cars sent by Iran for Sangtuda-2 were stranded on Uzbek territory for several months.
Last December and in March this year, Iran was forced to transport some equipment for Sangtuda-2 by air, because the air shipments were the only way to avoid postponing the completion of the Sangtuda-2 hydroelectricity project.
“Henceforth, urgent equipment for the station will be transported from China, where it will be produced,” said Askari, “Part of strategic equipment produced in Iran is expected to be shipped to Tajikistan via Afghan territory.”
We will recall that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Tajik President Emomali Rahmon promised at the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit in Istanbul in December 2010 that the first turbine at Sangtuda-2 will begin producing electricity in 2011.
Construction of Sangtuda-2, a 220-megawatt plant on the Vakhsh River, officially commenced in February 2006. It is located some 100 kilometers south of Dushanbe. Iran has invested US$180 million and Tajikistan US$40 million in the project. Once the power station is built, all the revenue over the next 12.5 years will go to the investor and Tajikistan will become the owner of Sangtuda-2 after this period expires.
