KHUJAND, January 6, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- After planned repairs, Unit 6 has been reintroduced into operation at the hydroelectric power plant (HPP) Qairoqqum in the Sughd province.

Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, the Qairoqqum HPP director Siroj Poulodov said that the unit was reintroduced into operation yesterday.  “The plant now generates more than 2.1 million kWh of electrical per day, which is 70 percent of its capacity,” Poulodov said.

According to him, compared to the same period of 2008 the water levels at the reservoir powering the Qairoqqum HPP are 2.5 meters lower.

The main reason for this is shortage of water that resulted in the rate of water inflow into the reservoir declining to 740 cubic meters per second, while the rate of water discharge is now 825 cubic meters per second, the director said.