Kazakhstan has announced its willingness to sign a government-to-government agreement for the purchase of electricity from Tajikistan's Roghun Hydroelectric Power Plant (HPP). This was confirmed during a meeting on October 2 in Astana between Tajikistan's Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Daler Juma, and Kazakhstan’s Minister of Energy, Yerlan Akkenzhenov. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ongoing three-day Kazakhstan Energy Week 2025 forum in Kazakhstan’s capital, running from October 2-4.
The Kazakh side expressed its readiness to sign the intergovernmental agreement on electricity supply from the Roghun HPP.. According to a statement from Tajikistan's Ministry of Energy and Water Resources (MoEWR), the agreement is part of a broader 2023 memorandum between the two countries.
Erlan Akkenzhenov explained that the agreement would serve as a comprehensive tool to balance the energy system, support agriculture, and strengthen food security. "We view this agreement as a key component in stabilizing our energy needs and ensuring the country’s agricultural sustainability," Akkenzhenov added.
Details of the Agreement
A draft agreement between the governments of Tajikistan and Kazakhstan on cooperation in the energy sector was published on Tajikistan's Ministry of Justice website in November of last year. The Tajik government has tasked its relevant agencies with approving and signing the agreement.
The agreement outlines that the Roghun HPP will supply electricity through interstate transmission lines, subject to the technical capabilities of the neighboring countries. The contract for electricity supply will be signed between Kazakhstan’s Renewable Energy Support Center and Tajikistan’s Open Joint-Stock Company (OJSC) NBO Roghun. The agreement will be in effect for 20 years, with the possibility of extension for another 10 years.
Electricity from Roghun will be supplied only during peak demand periods in Kazakhstan’s Northern-Southern Unified Energy System. The agreement specifies that the planned electricity supply will not create financial obligations for either party unless explicitly agreed in the contract.
The cost of electricity from Roghun will be set at 3.4 US cents per kilowatt-hour, including VAT at a zero percent rate. The price of electricity transit will be determined based on the costs incurred by Tajikistan during the electricity transit through Central Asia to Kazakhstan’s border.
The contract also stipulates that the price for electricity will be adjusted annually based on the U.S. Producer Price Index.
About Roghun Hydroelectric Plant
With an installed capacity of 3,780 MW, the Roghun Hydroelectric Plant is set to become the largest hydroelectric power station in Central Asia. The plant will feature six turbines, each with a capacity of 630 MW, with the final turbine expected to be launched by 2029.
Currently, two turbines of the Roghun station, which were commissioned in 2018 and 2019, are operating at partial capacity. According to the Ministry of Energy, the plant generated over 1.2 billion kWh of electricity in 2024, which accounted for 5.5% of the total electricity produced in Tajikistan last year.
Once fully operational, Roghun is expected to generate over 14.5 billion kWh annually.
This agreement represents a significant step in strengthening regional energy cooperation and could play a crucial role in meeting the growing energy demands of both countries.
