DUSHANBE, February 14, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- Swiss company, Poyry Energy Ltd, has been granted a contract for carrying out the environmental and social assessment of the Roghun hydroelectricity project, according to the Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoEI).

The source at a MoEI says the tender for carrying out the environmental and social of the Roghun project took place on December 10, 2010, though the tender results became known only on February 14.

Four companies have participated in the tender for carrying out the environmental and social assessment for the Roghun hydroelectricity project: Foster Wheeler/Battler (the United States); Golder Associates Ltd (Japan); Sterling International Group Inc (the United States); and Poyry Energy Ltd (Switzerland).

The tender for carrying out the techno-economic assessment for the Roghun project took place last summer.  Six companies and consortiums participated in that tender and the consortium consisting of three European companies, namely ELC-Electroconsult (Italy), Coyne et Bellier (France) and IPA Energy Water Consulting (U.K.) was granted a contract for carrying out the techno-economic assessment for the Roghun project.

We will recall that the Government of Tajikistan and the Word Bank have reached an understanding on carrying out assessment studies for the Roghun project.  The aim of the assessment studies is to comprehensively examine the technical, economic, social and environmental viability of the proposed Roghun HPP in accordance with the Bank’s policies and procedures.  The sides have agreed that Bank support for the assessment studies will depend on two conditions: firstly, that there will be no river diversion (construction of the coffer dam) by Tajikistan unless the techno-economic and environmental/social studies have been completed and discussed with riparians, and the studies have been reviewed by the independent Panels of Experts to determine feasibility; and secondly, there is continued compliance with relevant Bank operational policies as applicable to the assessment studies.

Construction works were started around 1980 and were stopped in 1992.  Since then, the Government of Tajikistan has allocated a minimum budget to continue works on a low key and maintenance basis.  Currently most of the site preparation works as well as an estimated 70% of the underground works (access tunnels, penstocks, diversion and outlet tunnels, chambers for turbines / generators and transformers) have been completed.  The installed capacity is proposed to be 6x600 MW (totaling 3,600 MW) and the annual power generation would be 13,300 GWh.  Despite significant storage, Roghun HPP is expected to produce electricity in Tajikistan and develop irrigation in the region.  The majority of the electricity to be produced by Roghun HPP is expected to be exported.

In view of the size of investments needed, Roghun HPP would need significant private/foreign investment and but also requires the Government to play a key role, in view of the existing assets and the necessity to take responsibility for environmental, social, resettlement and riparian issues, and also for establishing the export markets (which are to be underpinned by inter-governmental agreements).  The Government intends to establish an International Consortium of investors and financiers for the development of Roghun HPP.