DUSHANBE, January 21, 201, Asia-Plus  -- In 2009, the Sangtuda-1 hydroelectric power plant (HPP) generated 1.7245 billion kWh of electricity, which is 51 percent more than in 2008, according to open joint-stock company (OJSC) Sangtudinskaya GES-1, which operates the Sangtuda-1 station.

Since January 20, 2008 when the first unit of the station was introduced into operation, Sangtuda-1 HPP has reportedly generated some 3 billion kWh of electricity.

At present, three units of the station are kept operational, while the fourth one is still under the planned repair-and-preventive maintenance.  The station now generates 5.6-6 million kWh of electricity per day, the source said.

The company’s priorities for this year include ensuring stable and safe operation of the station and expanding power export opportunities during the so-called summer maximum, when Tajikistan has enough electricity.

One of priorities of the work of the company administration is to maintain financial stability of the enterprise and consolidate agreements reached with Tajik partners on the power supply accounts, the Sangtudinskaya GES-1 press service said, referring to the company top manager Vladimir Belov.

We will recall that President Emomali Rahmon and his Russian counterpart Dmitry Medvedev officially unveiled the fourth and last unit of the Sangtuda-1 HPP on July 31, 2009.

The construction of the Sangtuda-1 hydropower plant located some 110 kilometers southeast of Dushanbe began in the late 1980s.  By the early 1990s, only 20% of the construction work had been completed, and further construction was suspended due to a civil war that broke out in Tajikistan in the early 1990s.  The talks between Russia and Tajikistan on completing the construction of the Sangtuda-1 HPP began in 2003 and in 2004 the parties signed an inter-governmental agreement.

Russia retains a 75 percent share in the power plant, which generates a projected 2.7 billion kWh of electricity per annum.  Russia’s contribution to the project amounts to some 700 million U.S. dollars.  The power station has an estimated capacity of 670 MW.

According to OJSC Sangtudinskaya GES-1, the station now accounts for 15 percent of the overall volume of electricity produced in Tajikistan.