Russia confirms plans to build 3 hydropower plants in Tajikistan.

28/10 Tass 153

DUSHANBE, October 28 (Itar-Tass) - Russia has confirmed the intention
to build three medium-capacity power plants on Tajikistan's internal
rivers, Tajikistan's President Emomali Rakhmon stated on Wednesday,
addressing builders of the Rongun hydropower plant.

"The appropriate ministries and agencies of Tajikistan and Russia now
discuss specific questions whose settlement will enable starting sooner
the construction of these hydropower plants," Tajikistan's president said.
Rakhmon noted that the Sangtuda hydropower plant-1 with the design
capacity of 670 megawatt was put into operation this year, mentioning this
as an example of the successful implementation of a joint Tajik-Russian
investment project.
Altogether 12 investment projects worth 3 billion Somoni (over 700
million dollars) are implemented in Tajikistan. They include the
construction of small and medium capacity hydropower plants, electric
transmission lines and other facilities of the energy infrastructure, and
the modernisation of operating hydropower plants, including the giant
Nurek hydropower plant with the capacity of 3,000 megawatt. "With the
implementation of these projects Tajikistan will fully meet its needs in
cheap electricity and will be able to export energy to other countries,"
Tajikistan's president said.
Tajikistan has been experiencing a serious energy crisis in the past
few years, particularly in the autumn-and-winter season, when electricity
use on an average in the republic was limited to four or five hours a day.
-0-saf/gor