DUSHANBE (TCA) — Although it will take years to complete the project, the idea is to have two of the six turbines of the Rogun hydro power plant in Tajikistan start producing electricity for sale by 2018 to raise funding to complete it. The first turbine is to go into service in August 2018, followed by the second one in October of the same year, the online magazine “We Build Value” of Italian company Salini Impregilo reported on July 6.
On July 1, Salini Impregilo signed with OJSC Rogun HPP (the Tajik state-controlled company coordinating the project) a framework agreement worth $3.9 billion to build the Rogun Hydropower Project (HPP) in Tajikistan. The signing of the agreement followed an international public tender.
The Italian company has also been assigned the first lot of the work worth $1.95 billion. It consists in the building of a 335-metre-high rockfill dam with a clay core, the tallest in the world, on the Vakhsh River. The dam will be located in Pamir, one of Central Asia’s main mountain ranges.
The agreement between Salini Impregilo and OJSC Rogun Hydropower Project concerns the exploitation of the Pamir’s huge hydroelectric potential and includes four lots. The three remaining lots are to be assigned to the Italian Group by September 30, 2016.
Once completed, the power plant will have 6 turbines of 600 MW each with a total installed capacity of 3,600 MW (the equivalent of three nuclear power plants).
Rogun will double energy production in Tajikistan, strongly contributing to reducing power shortages suffered during the winter months when thousands of families need light and heating. The project will also increase agricultural activity through irrigation thanks to a more efficient use of water.
Pakistan and Afghanistan have already declared their intention to buy some of the energy to be produced by Rogun, and many more neighbouring countries are expected to do the same.
