DUSHANBE, February 27, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Specialists from Russia’s Inter RAO YeES (Unified Energy Systems) will arrive in Tajikistan in the near future for detailed study of sites for construction of three medium-sized hydroelectric power plants (HPPs), according to the Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoI).

The source at a MoEI said that specialists from the Russian power conglomerate had earlier got acquainted with the sites for construction of the Urfatin HPP on the Khingob River, the Obburdon HPP on the Zarafshon River, and the Yavroz HPP on the Kofarnihon River in outline.

“During this visit they will study in details three possible sites for construction of the Obburdon HPP on the Zarafshon River in Sughd’s Kuhistoni Mastchoh district.

We will recall that the MoEI and Inter RAO YeES singed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on construction in developing new energy projects in the territory of Tajikistan during Russian president’s official visit to Tajikistan in August 2008.  A Tajik-Russian working group was set up for construction of three medium-sized HPPs in Tajikistan.

Issues related to Tajik-Russian bilateral cooperation in the field of energy and implementation of joint energy projects in Tajikistan were one of major topics of a February 24 meeting of President Emomali Rahmon with his Russian counterpart, President Dmitry Medvedev, in Moscow as well.