DUSHANBE, April 4, Asia-Plus -- Currently, a new agreement is being projected on the Roghun hydroelectricity project and under this agreement, Russia will be represented not by commercial company but by state itself, former Russian Ambassador to Tajikistan Maksim Peshkov remarked at a meeting with Tajik journalists in Moscow on March 15. 

“I believe the two states will find mutually acceptable solution because the Roghun project is of significant regional importance,” Russian diplomat said.  

“The present situation round Roghun looks complex and the sides are not able to come to an agreement on a type of dam and many other parameters,” said Peshkov, “However, I would like to note that Russky Alyuminy (Russian Aluminum or RusAl) has consistently fulfilled its obligations under an agreement with the Tajik government signed in Dushanbe.  Moreover, RusAl has agreed to construct a 280 high dam, on which the Tajik insisted.”  

Peshkov considers that height and type of the dam are not the stumbling-block in the implementation of this project.  “There are other subtle points,” said the diplomat, “No company implements such ambitious projects on its own, and therefore, RusAl takes loans that requires expert assessment.  Germany’s International Lehmeyer conducted feasibility study for completing the construction of the Roghun station but the Tajik side did not like it and it was decided to submit the feasibility study for examination to the third side -- the World Bank; the examination results are not yet known.”    

Peshkov named the problem of coordination of the issue of the construction of the hydropower plant with neighboring countries to regulate water flow as another factor impacting the project.  The water use issue requires mutually beneficial solution to the problem,” Peshkov said.  

On the construction of the Sangtuda-1 power plant in Tajikistan, Russia diplomat expressed hope that the station will be finished by the date fixed, in 2009.