DUSHANBE, April 5, 2011, Asia-Plus -- The Kharkov-based plant, Elektrotyazhmash, may become general contractor for assembling equipment at the Roghun hydroelectric power (HPP) in Tajikistan, Elektrotyazhmansh’s website reports.

A Tajik government delegation, led by Minister of Economic Development and Trade Farrukh Hamraliyev, reportedly visited the plant last week.  The delegation is satisfied with the progress of work on manufacturing equipment for the Roghun HPP, the website noted.

The delegation comprising representatives from the Ministry of energy and Industries, President’s Executive Office and specialists from the Roghun HPP itself got acquainted with the progress of implementation of the contract and discussed further expansion of cooperation, the Elektrotyazhmash deputy director Sergey Shevchenko was cited as saying.

Hydroelectric generator with capacity of 400 MW is expected to be finished in December this year and the second hydroelectric generator with similar capacity will be finished in 2012.

In the meantime, open joint-stock company (OJSC) NBO Roghun says that two hydroelectric generators ordered for the Roghun HP at Elektrotyazhmash will be temporary ones and they will operate until the dam is fully constructed.  After that, these two hydroelectric generators will be replaced with four hydroelectric generators with capacity of 600 MW each.  Most likely, these generators will also be manufactured at Elektrotyazhmash.

Construction of the Roghun HPP was started around 1980 and was stopped in 1992.  Since then, the Government of Tajikistan has allocated a minimum budget to continue works on a low key and maintenance basis.  Currently most of the site preparation works as well as an estimated 70% of the underground works (access tunnels, penstocks, diversion and outlet tunnels, chambers for turbines/generators and transformers) have been completed.  The installed capacity is proposed to be 6x600 MW (totaling 3,600 MW) and the annual power generation would be 13,300 GWh.  Despite significant storage, Roghun HPP is expected to produce electricity in Tajikistan and develop irrigation in the region.  The majority of the electricity to be produced by Roghun HPP is expected to be exported.

To raise funds to complete construction of the Roghun HPP the government started to sell shares in Roghun to people on January 6, 2010.  Tajikistan has reportedly issued 6 billion somoni (US$1.37 billion) worth of Roghun shares.  To-date, the sale of Roghun shares has earned the government 830 million somoni (equivalent to 188.5 million U.S. dollars).