DUSHANBE, May 14, Asia-Plus -- An agreement reached during the recent visit of President Rahmon to Iran means most likely the resumption of the construction of a 1000 MW Shurob hydroelectric power station (HPS) on the Vakhsh River, Rashid Gulov, an official with Barqi Tojik (Tajik electric systems) power holding, said.  

“It is still premature to say about date of the beginning of the construction of the plant,” said the Barqi Tojik official, “The implementation of the project will start only after the completion of construction of the Sangtuda-2 hydropower plant, which is planned to be finished in 2009.”

“In the Soviet time. the Shurob plant was supposed to be built on the Vakhsh River, between the Norak and Roghun HPSs as regulator of the flow of water,” Gulov said, adding that according to the preliminary data, the project cost is some $1 billion.  

According to him, Iran is expected to be the main investor in this project and Tajikistan will also have its share in the construction of the Shurob plant.  "It cannot be ruled out that international consortium will be set up for the construction of this plant with participation of the Russian side,”  said Gulov, “All details will be become known after singing of a loan agreement that will follow completion of feasibility study for the plant.”   

            The Barqi Tojik official further added that HPS with same parameters could also be constructed on the rivers of Surkhob or Khingou.