The process of restructuring Barqi Tojik power holding (Tajikistan’s national integrated power company) is expected to be completed this year.
“Joint-stock companies “Transmission Business” and “Distribution” will begin operating this year after appointment of heads and members of Supervisory Boards of these companies,” Mr. Rustam Majidzoda, the head of the Barqi Tojik Main Finance Directorate, told Asia-Plus in an interview.
According to him, the working group, which consists of representatives of relevant ministries and agencies, is currently discussing candidacies of members of the Supervisory Boards of these companies.
“The lists of members of these Supervisory Boards will be submitted for consideration to Government in the near future,” Majidzoda said.
The process of restructuring of Barqi Tojik began in 2012 and Barqi Tojik was expected to be divided into three independent companies in late 2018: (i) generation; (ii) transmission business; and (iii) distribution.
The main objective of the restructuring of Barqi Tojik is in ensuring transparency in the country’s energy system.
It is to be noted that Tajikistan’s power utility company is now in a difficult financial state. As of January 1, 2020, Barqi Tojik’s total debts reportedly amounted to 26 billion somoni.
Tajikistan’s power sector is comprised of the vertically integrated energy company, Barqi Tojik, three independent power producers (IPPs), and a concession in Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) combining power generation and distribution.
Barqi Tojik is fully owned by the Government. It owns and operates most of the electricity generating plants and is also responsible for electricity transmission, dispatch, and distribution services to around 8 million people in all regions of the country except for GBAO.
Two of the IPPs – Sangtuda-1 and Sangtuda-2 hydropower plants (HPPs) – were constructed with investments from Russian and Iranian state-owned companies, and supply electricity to Barqi Tojik under 20-year power purchase agreements (PPAs). Third IPP – Roghun HPP – is under construction.
Pamir Energy Company (PEC) generates and supplies electricity to around 200,000 people in GBAO under 25-year concession agreement.
