DUSAHNBE, July 31, Asia-Plus -- Tajikistan has to invest US$4 million this year in the construction of Sangtuda-2 hydropower plant, Sharifkhon Samiyev, the head of the “Barqi Tojik” (Tajik electric systems) open joint-stock holding company, announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on July 28.  

According to him, the Tajik power holding has already provided a half of this amount, and the other half is supposed to be provided in August.   The Tajik power holding top manger noted that at present experts were studying places for the pant’s reservoir.  “Within the next two weeks, two 10-kilovolt and 35-kilovolt power-transmission lines will be put into operation for providing the site for the construction of the power plant with electricity,” Mr. Samiyev noted.  

Sharifkhon Samiyev noted that all necessary machines would be sent to the site by late August.  He added that all main works on the construction of the power plant would start in September.  

We will recall that a ceremony to mark the start of construction work on the Sangtuda-2 hydroelectric power plant was held on February 20.  Iran is investing $180 million into the project, while Tajikistan is putting up $40 million.  The 220-megawatt plant will be able to produce 1 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity a year, and the construction will take three to 3 1/2 years. The plant, which will provide power exports to Afghanistan and Iran , will initially belong to Iran , eventually becoming Tajik property in 2018.