President Emomali Rahmon is expected to pay working visit to the Gorno Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) after completion of festivities to celebrate the 27th anniversary of Tajikistan’s Independence that will take place next month, a source in the Tajik government told Asia-Plus in an interview.
While in GBAO, the president will attend official opening ceremonies of a number of social and economic facilities in the region, the source said.
Rahmon will visit the Murgab district, where he will launch into operation the rehabilitated Aksu-1 hydroelectric power plant (HPP).
A small hydroelectric power plant (HPP) on the Aksu River in Murgab district has been rehabilitated under financial support of the Government of Germany that has provided 7.4 million euros for rehabilitation of the Aksu-1 HPP.
The capacity of the Aksu-1 HPP has been increased to 1.5 WV, the source added.
Recall, the Tajik Ministry of Economic Development and Trade signed an agreement with KfW Development Bank on December 10, 2013, under which KfW provided a five million Euro grant to reconstruct a small hydroelectric power plant (HPP) on the Aksu River in the Murgab district. Domestic demand for electricity is reportedly over 24.0 billion kWh.
Last year, the Government of Germany provided additional 2.4 million euros for implementation of the Aksu-1 HPP rehabilitation project. An agreement on this subject was signed in Dushanbe on March 4, 2017. The document was inked by Ms. Kristin Laabs, Country Director, KfW Development Bank Tajikistan, Mr. Nematullo Hikmatullozoda, Minister of Economic Development and Trade and Tajikistan, and Mr. Daler Jumayev, Director-General, Pamir Energy Company.
These funds have reportedly been provided to repair breakages caused by a flood that occurred in August 2015. Besides, additional measures have been taken to make this power plant more resistant to the climatic conditions of the Murgab district.
