KHUJAND/DUSHANBE, October 28, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- The northern Sughd province is expected to receive electricity via a 500 kV high-voltage power transmission line South-North within the next few days.

According to the Sughd administration press service, Sughd governor Qohir Rasoulzoda yesterday visited the Ghonchi district to get acquainted with preparation of the substation “Khujand” for operation.  At first, the cities of Khujand and Qairoqqum will be connected to the substation and then, other districts will be connected to it stage by stage, the source said.

Specialists say that electric power generated by the Sughd province in autumn-winter period is enough to meet only 30 percent of the province’s requirements in electricity.

In the meantime, Usmonali Usmonov, the director of the energy projects management unit, told reporters in Dushanbe yesterday that the substation “Khujand” will be introduced into operation on November 1.  He added that the southern substation “Dushanbe,” built near the village of Chorbogh in the Varzob district, was introduced into operation recently.  

We will recall that in April 2006, Tajikistan''s national electric power company, Barqi Tojik, signed deals with a Chinese company to build two power transmission lines in Tajikistan.  Under the contracts, Barqi Tojik and the China Theban Electric Apparatus Stock build a 350-kilometer power line, linking the country''s south with the north, and another 95-kilometer line in the Khatlon province.  China''s Eximbank has provided 95 percent of the combined US$340 million cost of the projects and the remaining 5 percent has been provided by the Tajik government.  The cost of the South-North power grids project is 281.3 million U.S. dollars.