DUSHANBE, December 25, 2009, Asia-Plus  -- According to president’s office, representative of Tajik media are expected to visit the site for construction of the Roghun hydroelectric power (HPP) today.

Journalists will familiarize themselves with the pace of construction of the station, the source at president’s office said.

We will recall that journalists were scheduled to visit the Roghun site on December 22 but the trip was postponed because of bad weather conditions.

In the meantime, President Emomali Rahmon is expected to visit the Roghun site as well.

As it had been reported earlier, Tajikistan in August 2007 formally revoked a contract with Russia''s RusAl aluminum company for the construction of the Roghun HPP.  The Tajik government accused the company of failing to fulfill the contract signed in 2004.  Tajik authorities and RusAl became bogged down in the hydroelectric plant''s dam model and height, crucial factors in its capacity.  In April 2008, Tajikistan founded open joint-stock company with an authorized capital of 116 million somoni for completing the construction of the Roghun station.  Tajik authorities also plan to create an international consortium to complete the construction of the Roghun power station.

The 3,600 MWt Roghun hydroelectric power plant is to generate 13 billion kWh of electricity per year.  The plant''s completion would substantially increase sales of electricity to neighboring Afghanistan, China, and Pakistan.