DUSHANBE, March 18, 2013, Asia-Plus — Tajik deputy energy minister has reportedly confirmed participation of Tajik and Iranian presidents in an official ceremony of introduction of the second unit of the Sangtuda-2 hydroelectric plant (HPP) into operation.
Iranian news agency, Fars News Agency (FNA), quoted Poulod Muhiddinov, First Deputy Minister of Energy and Industries of Tajikistan, as saying that Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad will unveil the second and the last unit of the Sangtuda-2 HPP on March 21 this year.
Muhiddinov also noted that Barqi Tojik (Tajik electricity supplier) repay its debt to the Sangtuda-2 hydroelectric power plant during this year, FNA said.
We will recall that the Economic Section of the Iranian Embassy in Dushanbe reportedly sent an official letter to Barqi Tojik last month, asking to repay its US$12 million debt to the Sangtuda-2 HPP before Iranian president’s visit to Tajikistan.
The first unit of the plant was introduced into operation on September 5, 2011. Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attended a joint ceremony to unveil the Sangtuda-2 dam and power plant.
Construction of Sangtuda-2, a 220-megawatt plant on the Vakhsh River, officially commenced in February 2006. It is located some 120 kilometers southeast of Dushanbe.
Iran, which has invested some 180 million U.S. dollars in the construction of the hydropower station, will operate it for the next 12 years and then transfer control to Tajikistan, whose contribution to the construction costs amounted to around 40 million U.S. dollars.
The power plant is expected to help alleviate power shortages in Tajikistan during autumn-winter period.
Meanwhile, Iranian news agency, IRNA, reports that Ahmadinejad and Rahmon had a telephone conversation on March 5 and Iranian president called for further Tehran-Dushanbe cooperation.
Referring to bilateral cooperation as constructive, Iranian president stressed that the level of the two countries ties is on the rise, IRNA said.
The two sides also decided to hold talks on the sidelines of Navrouz Festival, marking the advent of the Iranian New Year, to be held in Turkmenistan.
