KHUJAND, November 26, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- 180 power transmission poles for the 500-kV power grid South-North have been installed in northern Tajikistan so far, Abdumannon Nourmatov, a lead specialist with the energy project management unit, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

In all, 348 60-meter poles will be installed in the Sughd province.  The transmission poles are expected to be finished in the province in May 2009, according to Nourmatov.

“We have already installed the transformer,” he said, noting that work on construction of substation was completed.

We will recall that Barqi Tojik (Tajik electric systems) power holding and China’s China Theban Electric Apparatus Stock Co (CTEAS) signed a contract on construction of the 500-kV power grid South-North in Dushanbe on April 19, 2006.   The estimated budget for construction of the power grid is 281.3 million US dollars.  China’s Exim (Export/Import) Bank provides 95 percent of the amount in a preferential loan, carrying an annual interest of 2 percent, and Tajikistan finances 5 percent of the project’s value.