Tajikistan Still Hopes China Will Build Power Plant in North

Text of report by Russian internet news agency Regnum, specializing in regional reporting

Tajikistan still hopes that the Chinese company Sinohydro will construct the Zarafshon hydroelectric power plant in the country’s north. The head of the Barq-i Tojik (Tajik Electricity) state energy holding company, Sharifkhon Samiyev, said this at a news conference today, 26 October, a Regnum news agency correspondent reports. He said that the Tajik side had not yet received an official notification from the Chinese side about its refusal to construct this facility.

“Large-scale geological and exploration work as well as other types of work have been carried out at the hydroelectric power plant construction site. As is known, nobody spends money for nothing. Therefore, Sinohydro has an opportunity until February 2008 to start the construction,” Samiyev said.

It will be recalled that in line with an agreement signed in January 2007 between the Chinese company Sinohydro and Barq-i Tojik, China has to build a 150 MWt hydroelectric power plant on the River Zarafshon. China was planning to allocate 260m dollars to implement the project. An official ceremony of the beginning of the construction was expected to be held in April this year. However, according to some Tajik officials, the Chinese company, under pressure by the Uzbek authorities, refused the project. A number of Uzbek media outlets published critical reports on the project. The reports said if the Zarafshon hydroelectric power plant is constructed, the irrigation system in several Uzbek regions will be broken.

Originally published by Regnum, Moscow, in Russian 1031 26 Oct 07.

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