DUSHANBE, December 25, 2015, Asia-Plus — Tajikistan’s lower house (Majlisi Namoyandagon) of parliament has ratified agreements regarding construction of the Tajik section of regional power transmission line, which will bring electricity from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
A regular sitting of the second session of Majlisi Namoyandagon of the fifth convocation was held on December 24.
Speaking at the meeting, Jamshed Karimzoda, First Deputy Minister of Finance of Tajikistan, noted that 314 million U.S. dollars were needed for construction of the Tajik section of the regional power transmission line.
According to him, the following agreements were signed on implementation of the Tajik section of the CASA 1000 Project: two agreements with International Development Association (IDA) on CASA 1000 (a US$45 million grant); two agreements with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (a US$110 million loan); an agreement with the Islamic Development Bank (a US$70 million loan); and an agreement with the European Investment Bank (a US$79 million loan).
Tajikistan’s share in the project is 15 million U.S. dollars.
A total cost of the landmark regional electricity transmission project, known as CASA 1000 (1000 Electricity Transmission and Trade Project for Central Asia and South Asia) is more than 1 billion U.S. dollars. The CASA 1000 project is scheduled to be completed by 2020.
“The sale of surplus electricity to Pakistan and Afghanistan will earn Tajikistan up to 150 million U.S. dollars per year,” said Karimzoda. “Besides, Tajikistan will earn income from transiting Kyrgyz electricity via its power system.”
MP Poulod Muhiddiyon noted that during the initial years of the supply of electricity to South Asia an average the cost of one kWh of Tajik electricity would be six cents.
Majlisi Namoyandagon deputies unanimously voted fro ratification of the agreements.
The CASA-1000 Project demonstrates landmark cooperation among Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. The modern and efficient CASA-1000 electricity transmission system will help transform the region and signify an important step toward realizing the planned Central Asia-South Asia Regional Electricity Market (CASAREM). The CASAREM initiative will help not only these four countries, but also improve the electricity systems and develop inter-regional cooperation between Central Asia and South Asia.
The Project is expected to develop the necessary physical infrastructure and create the institutional and legal framework to transmit surplus power available from existing generation facilities in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to Afghanistan and Pakistan. The physical infrastructure for CASA 1000 is likely to include: a 500 kV high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system between Tajikistan and Pakistan through Afghanistan; an AC transmission link from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to connect to the HVDC line from Tajikistan to South Asia; and the necessary electricity sub-stations in Kabul, Peshawar and Sangtuda (in Tajikistan).
