DUSHANBE, February 26, 2013, Asia-Plus  -- Iranian Embassy in Dushanbe has reportedly demanded that Barqi Tojik (Tajik electricity supplier) repay its debt to the Sangtuda-2 hydroelectric power plant (HPP).

Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service reports that the Economic Section of the Iranian Embassy in Dushanbe last week sent an official letter to Barqi Tojik with solicitation to repay its US$12 million debt to the Sangtuda-2 HPP before Iranian president’s visit to Tajikistan.

We will recall that Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is scheduled to arrive in Tajikistan in March to join Tajik President Emomali Rahmon in officially unveiling the second and last unit of the Sangtuda-2 HPP.

Meanwhile, Nozirjon Yodgori, a spokesman for Tajik electricity supplier, says Barqi Tojik has not received such a letter from Iranian Embassy in Dushanbe.  According to him, Tajik electricity supplier is paying for electricity generated by the Sangtuda-2 HPP in accordance with the previously concerted schedule.  “There is no any problem between us,” Yodgori noted.

According to Barqi Tojik, it now owes 50 million to the Sangtuda-2 HPP.

The first unit of the plant was introduced into operation on September 5, 2011.  Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attended a joint ceremony to unveil the Sangtuda-2 dam and power plant.

Construction of Sangtuda-2, a 220-megawatt plant on the Vakhsh River, officially commenced in February 2006.  It is located some 120 kilometers southeast of Dushanbe.

Iran, which has invested some 180 million U.S. dollars in the construction of the hydropower station, will operate it for the next 12 years and then transfer control to Tajikistan, whose contribution to the construction costs amounted to around 40 million U.S. dollars.

The power plant is expected to help alleviate power shortages in Tajikistan during autumn-winter period.

We will recall that Barqi Tojik now also owes some 308 million somoni (equivalent to 64.6 million USD) to open joint-stock company (OJSC) Sangtudinskaya GES-1 that operates the Sangtuda-1 HPP.

Russian-Tajik OJSC Sangtudinskaya GES-1 was established to complete the construction of the Santuda-1 power plant.  Russia’s Inter RAO YeES and the Ministry of Energy and Industries of Tajikistan signed an agreement on the establishment of the company in Dushanbe on February 16, 2005.

Russia owns 75% percent of the shares minus one share and Tajikistan assumes the 25% ownership interest plus one share in Sangtudinskaya GES-1.

Tajik and Russian presidents officially unveiled the fourth and last unit of the Sangtuda-1 HPP on July 31, 2009.

Meanwhile, in a report released at a news conference in Dushanbe, Barqi Tojik top manager Abdullo Yorov noted on January 29 that the public and enterprises now owe nearly 715 million somoni to Barqi Tojik.