DUSHANBE, September 7, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Construction of the first coal-fired heat and power station will officially commence in Dushanbe’s Luchob area tomorrow, according to Barqi Tojik power holding.

The first line of this heat and power station is expected to be introduced into operation in 20011 by the 20th anniversary of Tajikistan, which is marked on September 9, and the second line of the station will be put into operation in two years after that, the source said.

The station will work on local coals and it reportedly will be provided with equipment to significantly reduce atmospheric emissions.

The new heat and power station will have the rate capacity of generating 4.8 million kWh of electrical power per day and will be capable to provide some 200,000 of Dushanbe residents with hot water and heating.

The estimated budget for construction of this heat and power station is 30 million U.S. dollars that will be provided by China.

We will recall that Tajikistan’s Ministry of Energy and Industries and China’s Tebian Electric Apparatus Stock Co (TBEA) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Dushanbe in February this year.  Under this document, the Chinese company will build the coal-fired heat and power station with capacity of 200 MW in Dushanbe.

The currently operating Dushanbe heat and power station with the rated capacity of 198 MW was built in 1968.  It works on natural gas and because of shortage of gas supplies it cannot operate in full capacity.