DUSHANBE, February 22, Asia-Plus - Tajikistan is going to negotiate investment in completing the construction of the Roghun hydroelectric power station with a number of US companies, Finance Minister Safarali Najmuddinov remarked at a briefing in Dushanbe on February 22. 

The briefing was held after a ceremony of signing of a loan agreement between Tajikistan and the Asian Development (ADB) for project to tap Tajikistan’s power surplus to meet shortfalls in neighboring Afghanistan.   .

Speaking to journalists, the minister said the government delegation, which is currently in Washington to discuss with international financial organizations and Russia’s Unified Energy Systems (RAO YeES) financing of the Sangtuda-1 hydroelectric project, also intends to meet with a number of US companies to negotiate attraction of investments for completing the construction of the Roghun station.  

“US AES Corporation will probably also participate in this project,” Najmuddinov said, adding Tajikistan will continue to seek partners to complete the construction of the Roghun plant.  

The minister also noted that the national budget had recently provided funds for carrying out immediate works on the station.  

We will recall that during Electricity Beyond Border Forum sponsored by the US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) that was held in Istanbul last June, USTDA awarded an $800,000 grant to Tajikistan’s Energy Ministry to fund early investment analysis in determining the viability of plans to develop electric power transmission and generation in Central Asia.  Tajik energy ministry has selected The AES Corporation of Arlington, Virginia, to perform the USTDA-funded analysis.  In addition to the USTDA grant, AES provides additional resources towards its completion.