DUSHANBE, February 9, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- 16 million somoni in arrears that Barqi Tojik (Tajik electric systems)power holding now owes to open joint-stock company (OJSC) Sangtuda HPP-1, which has constructed the sangtuda-1 hydroelectric power plant (HPP), have resulted from the global financial crisis, Nozirjon Yodgori, a spokesman for Barqi Tojik, said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

“Barqi Tojik has applied to the country’s financial institutions for a loan to pay off its debt to Sangtuda HPP-1,” Yodgori said.

We will recall that Sangtuda HPP-1 has filed suit in Tajikistan’s Higher Economic Court against Barqi Tojik over electricity debt.  Barqi Tojik now owes 16 million somoni to OJSC Sangtuda HPP-1 for electricity received from the Sangtuda-1 station in 2008.

The source at Sangtuda HPP-1 said that they had filed suit following numerous vain applications to Tajik authorities over repayment of power debts.  The statement, in particular, notes that delays in payment of power debts may hinder completion of construction of the Sangtuda-1 station that is scheduled to be commissioned on turnkey basis in late March this year.