DUSHANBE, April 12, Asia-Plus -- Anatoly Chubais, head of Russia''s Unified Energy Systems (YeES), is arriving in Dushanbe today afternoon for an one-day visit

According to information from the Ministry of Energy, during his stay in Tajikistan Russian energy head is scheduled to meet with President Emomali Rahmonov and senior representatives from the Ministry of Energy to discuss a progress of the construction of Sangtuda-1 hydropower plant in Tajikistan and prospects of further expansion of energy cooperation between Tajikistan and Russia.  Chubais also intends to visit the site for the Sangtuda station and sum up the results of work to complete the construction of the station.

According to the source, some 37 percent of a total volume of works has to date been done.  We will recall that the construction of Sangtuda-2 hydropower plant officially commenced in April 2006 and the station should be finished in 2009. 

As it had been reported earlier, Tajikistan, and Russia signed protocols in Dushanbe in January last year for Russia to complete the construction of Sangtuda-1 hydropower station.  Sangtuda-1 costs $400 million-$500 million to complete ad Russia’s Unified energy Systems have assumed financing of the project.  YeES holds 79 percent of the Sangtuda-1 shares.    

Once completed, Sangtuda-1 station having rated capacity of 670 megawatt will allow Tajikistan to resolve its domestic power problems and export electric power to other countries, including Afghanistan and Pakistan.  Sangtuda-1 station will be capable to generate 2.7 billion kWh of electricity a year.