DUSHANBE, February 11, 2010, Asia-Plus  -- More than 90 percent of work on modernization of the Varzob-2 HPP has been completed, according to the Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoEI).

The source at a MoEI noted that specialists from India’s Bharat Electricals Limited (BHEL) arrived in Tajikistan last December.  “On arrival of Indian specialists, local company, Energremont, was charged with carrying out work on modernization of this plant,” said the source, “Modernization of the Varzob-2 HPP is expected to be finished by the end of the first quarter of this year.”

He added that BHEL has completed some 50 percent of work on modernization of the Varzob-1 HPP.  “New equipment for this plant is expected to be delivered from India in early summer this year and modernization of the Varzob-1 HPP is expected to be finished by the end of this year.”

We will recall that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Tajikistan and India on modernization of the Varzob-1 HPP was signed in Dushanbe in August 2007.  The Government of India has provided 17 million U.S. dollars for this project.

Modernization of the Varzob-1 HPP will allow increasing its capacity from 3.67 MW to 9.4 MW and extending its service life by another 50 years.