The Lower Chamber of Tajikistan’s Parliament ratified grant agreement between the Government of Tajikistan and Asian Development Bank on the Reconstruction of the 500-kilowatt outdoor switchgear of the Nurek HPP project. The agreement was signed in December 2007.

When presenting the document to deputies of the Lower Chamber Deputy Head of Barqi Tojik power and light company Suhrob Rahimov said that the period of use of the given switchgear is 35 years while the device was installed back in 1982. “Furthermore, land plot on which the device stands produces sediments,” he said, adding that in the next 2-3 years the device will probably collapse.

Rahimov said that ADB will allocate $54.7mln for implementation of the project. “In the course of the international tender German ‘Auston’ was selected as contractor general of the project. The company plans to implement the project till the end of 2013,” he stressed.

At the same time, leader of the Communist party of Tajikistan and a deputy Shodi Shabdolov said that reconstruction of the Nurek HPP’s 500-kilowatt switchgear is very important for provision of northern Tajikistan and the Tajik aluminum company with energy.

“Furthermore, implementation of CASA-1000 regional project will be senseless without implementation of the given project,” he added.