DUSHANBE, June 23, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- An official ceremony of putting the second units of the Russian-built Sangtuda-1 hydroelectric power plant (HPP) into commission is scheduled for July 2, 2008, Asia-Plus has learned at open joint-stock company Sangtuda HPP-1, which is building the station.  

The ceremony, presided over by President Emomali Rahmon, will be attended by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Sergei Naryshkin and the head of Russia''s Unified Energy Systems (RAO YeES), Anatoly Chubais, the source at Sangtuda HPP-1.   

The second unit is currently being tested in free-running regime. 

The first unit of the Sangtuda-1 station was put into commission on January 20 this year.  The Sangtuda-1 plant was hailed as a first step in alleviating Tajikistan''s energy crisis.  The first unit of the Sangtuda-1 plant has a planned capacity of 220 million kWh, and once all four units of the plant are operational, the station will have an annual projected capacity of 2.7 billion kWh of electricity.

Russia’s Unified Energy Systems (RAO YeES) retains a 75 percent share in the power plant, which will generate a projected 2.7 billion kWh of electricity per annum.  The power station will have an estimated capacity of 670 MW.