DUSHANBE, January 31, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Tajik government has offered one of deposits in the Ayni district to Chinese company for construction of the Dushanbe-2 combined heat and power (CHP) plant.

Tajik Minister of Energy and Water Resources Usmonali Usmonov stated this at a news conference in Dushanbe on January 30.

“It has practically been impossible to attract funds from international financial institutions for construction of the Dushanbe-2 CHP plant, which will operate only during winter period,” said Usmonov.  “When the project is not designed for the year-round operation, it cannot be efficient, and therefore, nobody wants to finance such projects.”

Therefore, Tajikistan had to resort to the resources method for financing the construction of the Dusahnbe-2 CHP plant, the minister said.

“China’s Xinjiang Tebian Electric Apparatus Stock Co. Ltd (TBEA) has agreed to construct the plant at these terms,” said Usmonov.  “TBEA has taken a 179 million USD loan from the Export-Import Bank of China (China Exim Bank) at its own risk for construction of the plant.”

According to unconfirmed data, the Tajik government has offered the Chore goldfield to the Chinese company.

We will recall that Tajik anticorruption agency last year accused Tajik tycoon Zayd Saidov of extorting a 1.5 million USD bribe from Kazakh businessman Serikbol Okushev for license for development of that goldfield located in the Ayni district.

The first 50 MW unit of the Dushanbe-2 CHP plant was introduced into operation this month and the second unit to be introduced into operation before April this year.

The plant has been constructed within the framework of a trilateral agreement signed between the Tajik Ministry of Energy, China’s TBEA and Electronic Apparatus Dushanbe Mining Co Ltd and a total capacity of this coal-powered plant will be 200 megawatt.  Monthly requirements of this facility in coal are 22,300 tons.

The coal-powered plant has reportedly been constructed in compliance with Tajikistan’s environmental regulations.

Tajikistan relies almost exclusively on hydropower to generate electricity, which becomes scarce in the winter months when rivers freeze and water reservoir levels drop.