DUSHANBE, October 16, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- Turkmenistan has reportedly lowered the power delivery rates for Tajikistan.

Speaking in an interview with Asia-Plus, the director of the Norak hydroelectric power plant (HPP), Sharifkhon Samiyev, said that this year, Turkmenistan would supply electricity to Tajikistan in the winter period at the rate of 2 cents per one kWh.

According to him, it has become possible due to recent working visit of President Rahmon to Turkmenistan and his negotiations with Turkmenistan’s leadership.

“Last year, Turkmenistan was supplying electrical power to Tajikistan at the rate of 3 cents per one kWh,” said Samiyev, “Besides, Tajikistan was paying transit fee to Uzbekistan at the rate of 0.3 cent per one kWh for supplying Turkmen electricity via its power systems.”

In recent years, problems over the supply of electricity from other countries to Tajikistan in autumn-winter period have been created by Uzbekistan,” the Norak HPP director.  “Uzbekistan has also impeded the supply of surplus electricity from Tajikistan to neighboring countries in the summer period,” said Samiyev, “If Uzbekistan does not create problems this year, we will not have any serious problems with electricity supplies in the winter period.”