The Minister of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan, Mr. Daler Juma, on July 5 met here with Ms. Aiten Rustamova, Regional Head of the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).
The Ministry of Energy and Water Resources (MoEWR) press center says the two discussed issues related to the mutually beneficial cooperation between Tajikistan and the EBRD in the field of energy.
They reportedly also exchanged views on the projects aimed at bringing 1,300 megawatts of surplus electricity from Central Asia to high demand electricity markets in South Asia through new energy infrastructure (CASA 1000), rehabilitating the Qairoqqum hydropower plant, reducing electricity losses in Dushanbe, Khujand, Bokhtar and Kulob cities, rehabilitating the Sughd-500 substation and studying Tajikistan’s energy market for the purpose of attracting private investments into development of the country’s electric power industry.
Particular attention was paid to financing the joint Tajikistan-Uzbekistan project aimed at constructing two hydropower plants on the Zarafshon River in Tajikistan’s Sughd province, the MoEWR press center says.
Recall, the governments of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan have established a joint-stock company for joint construction of two hydropower plants with a total capacity of 275 megawatts on the Zarafshon River in northern Tajikistan.
According to the government-to-government agreement on this subject, Tajikistan owns 50 percent of the shares plus one share and Uzbekistan assumes the 50% ownership interest minus one share in this company.
The construction of hydropower plants in the Zarafshon River basin of Tajikistan will be carried out in two stages.
In the first stage, the Yovon hydroelectric power plant with capacity of 140 megawatts will be constructed. An estimated budget for construction of this hydropower plant is 282 million U.S. dollars.
In the second stage, the possibility of the construction of the Fondaryo hydroelectric power plant with capacity of 135 megawatts will be studied. An estimated budget for construction of this hydropower plant is 270 million U.S. dollars.
All electricity generated by these hydropower plants is expected to be purchased by Uzbekistan.
As part of his official visit to Uzbekistan, Tajik President Emomali Rahmon on June 2, 2022 joined his Uzbek counterpart Shavkat Mirziyoyev in virtually launching the construction of the Yovon hydropower plant on the Zarafshon River in Tajikistan’s Sughd province.
According to the Tajik president’s official website, the ceremony of the virtual launch of the construction the hydropower plant with capacity of 140 megawatt took place in Kuksaroy Presidential Palace (Blue Palace), the official workplace of the President of Uzbekistan.
The Yovon hydropower plant it generate up to 800 million kWh of electricity per year.
