DUSHANBE, April 8, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- A meeting to discuss the pace of construction of the Sangtuda-2 hydroelectric power plant (HPP) has opened at the station’s site today morning.

Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, Khairullo Safarov, the head of the capital construction directorate within the Ministry of Energy and Industries (MoEI), said that the pace of implementation of Tajik-Iranian joint projects, including the construction of the Sangtuda-2 station, was the focus of the meeting.

We will recall that on January 12, 2005, Tajikistan and Iran signed a protocol in Dushanbe for Iran to complete the construction of Tajikistan''s Sangtuda-2 hydropower station.  During President Rahmon’s visit to Iran in January 2006, a number of agreements providing for Iranian assistance for several Tajik infrastructure projects, including construction of the Sangtuda-2 HPP, were signed.

Construction of the stationed officially commenced on February 20, 2006.  The estimated budget for construction of the Sangtuda-2 station is some 220 million US dollars, comprising Iran’s preferential loan of US$180 million provided for ten years at 5 percent annual interest, and US$40 million equivalent of the Tajik government financing.  Iranian company, Sangab, is constructing the station.

The rated capacity of the Sangtuda-2 station is 220 megawatt and it will generate 1 billion kWh of electrical power per year.  Once the power station is built, all the revenue over the next 12.5 years will go to the investor, and Tajikistan will become the owner of Sangtuda-2 after this period expires.