On January 28, in Tashkent, the working groups of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan held talks to discuss the joint construction of a hydroelectric power plant (HPP) on the Zarafshan River in Tajikistan, the press service of the Energy Ministry reported.
For this purpose, a representative delegation of Tajikistan, led by Deputy Minister of Energy and Water Resources Shoimzoda Jamshed Shodi, arrived in Tashkent.
As it was noted during the talks by the First Deputy Minister of Energy of Uzbekistan Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov, the focus of discussion is the draft agreement between the Uzbek-Tajik governments on the procedure and conditions for shared participation in the construction and operation of hydroelectric stations on the Zarafshan River.
After reaching certain agreements, more details will be spelled out in the agreement on the purchase of electricity and the development of a feasibility study for the project.
The construction of hydroelectric power plants is planned to be carried out in stages: first, the construction of the Yavan HPP with an estimated cost of $282 million, a capacity of 140 MW and generation of 700-800 million kWh of electricity will be carried out. At the next stage, the parties will consider the possibility of building a HPP on the Fan Darya River with an estimated cost of $270 million, a capacity of 135 MW and the generation of 500-600 million kWh of electricity.
The constructed HPPs will generate up to 1,400 million kWh of ecologically clean electricity exclusively for the needs of the Republic of Uzbekistan.
As noted by the Tajik side, “this meeting is the first step towards the implementation of the project and expresses the will of the leaders of the two states.” The delegation also noted the pace of ongoing reforms in Uzbekistan in the field of energy.
The study of the issue of joint construction of two hydroelectric power stations with a total capacity of 320 MW on the Zarafshan River in Tajikistan was provided for in a joint statement of the President of Uzbekistan and the President of Tajikistan signed on August 17, 2018.
