DUSHANBE, June 3, Asia-Plus -- Prime Minster Oqil Oqilov heading a delegation, comprising representatives of relevant ministries and organizations, today morning went to the site for construction of the Sangtuda-1 hydroelectric power plant (HPP).

The prime minister is holding a meeting there to discuss the pace of construction of the Sangtuda-1 station.  

We will recall that Rakhmetulla Alzhanov, director general of open joint-stock company (OJSC) Sangtuda HPP-1, noted in April that by President Rahmon’s charge the second unit is planned to be introduced into operation in June and the whole complex by the end of this year.  

In the meantime, Russia’s open joint-stock company (OJSC) Siloviye Mashiny (Power Units), which is the main supplier of equipment for units of the Sangtuda-1 hydroelectric power plant (HPP), has not met Tajik authorities’ halfway and has not agreed with early introduction of hydroelectric complex into operation in December this year.  

The delivery of the fourth rotor wheel or the Sangtuda-1 HPP is scheduled for October and the fourth unit will be put into operation, most likely, in March 2009.  

Viktor Obmankin, the deputy director of Siloviye Mashiny in charge of implementation of projects, said at an April 17 meeting in Tajikistan that they had decided to review terms of the supply of the third and the fourth units due to a large debt of Sangtuda HPP-1 to the contractor (some 1 billion Russian rubles).  “The Siloviye Mashiny’s administration has not yet coordinated a new schedule of works and equipment supplies and assembly of the main components will be carried out in accordance with previous contract concluded between Siloviye Mashiny and OJSC Sangtuda HPP-1 in 2005,” said Obmankin.  “Under this contract, the second unit should be introduced into operation in July, the third unit in November and the fourth one in March 2009.”  According to him, the fourth rotor wheel for the unit was produced in September and they will be able to deliver it to Tajikistan no earlier than October, and therefore, the last unit will be introduced into operation only in March 2009.   

For his part, the Sangtuda HPP-1 director general Rakhmetulla Alzhanov noted that the supply of the fourth rotor wheel in October is in contrary with the provisions of the contract concluded between the station building owner and Siloviye Mashiny in 2007, under which the fourth rotor wheel should be delivered to Tajikistan in July.  He added that they are ready to pay off its debts to the contractor already in June.      

Deputy Prime Minister, Asadullo Ghulomov, noted in April that the Tajik government had ordered to provide $3 million from remaining $6 million share of Tajikistan for this year.  The remaining $3 million are supposed to be allocated in the near future, according to him.     

We will recall that the opening of the first unit of the Sangtuda-1 station was held on January 20, 2008. 

Russia’s Unified Energy Systems (RAO YeES) retains a 75 percent share in the power plant, which will generate a projected 2.7 billion kWh of electricity per annum.  The power station will have an estimated capacity of 670 MW.