DUSHANBE, December 23, 2008, Asia-Plus  -- The small hydroelectric power station (HPP) Kharangon was introduced into operation in the Varzob district yesterday, according to Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoEI).

The source at a MoEI said that Deputy Energy and Industries Minister, Poulod Muhiddinov, had attended an official introduction of the Kharangon station into operation, which was timed to coincide with professional holiday of Tajik power engineering specialist, which is marked on December 22.

The Kharangon HPP has the rated capacity of 80 megawatt.

Three other small hydropower plants are expected to have been introduced into operation by the end of this year – in Kuhistoni Mastchoh and Rumi districts, as well as the second unit of Takob HPP, the source said.

We will recall that in all, 71 small power plants are scheduled to be built in Tajikistan by 2020.  The total capacity of the plants will be 480.571 million kWh of electricity a year.