DUSHANBE, January 31, 2014, Asia-Plus – Tajikistan’s power system will operate in routine regime despite unfavorable weather forecast for early February, Tajik Minister of Energy and Water Resources Usmonali Usmonov announced at a news conference in Dushanbe on January 31.

“The country’s power system operates in routine regime and it will operate in routine regime despite coming cold weather,” the minister said.

“New hydropower power plants with total capacity of nearly 1,000 megawatt have been introduced into operation in the country in recent years,” said Usmonov.  “They are Sangtuda-1 HPP (670 MW), Sangtuda-2 HPP (220 MW), Pamir-1 HPP (14 MW) and a number of small power plants with total capacity of 28 megawatt.”

Besides, the Dushanbe combined heat and power (CHP) plant now operates and the first unit of the coal-powered Dushanbe-2 CHP plant has been introduced into operation this month, the minister noted.

According to him, current water level in the reservoir powering the Norak hydroelectric power plant (HPP) is 50 centimeters lower than in January 2013 but one meter higher when compared to January 2012.

We will recall that the Tajik Hydrometeorology Center forecasts temperatures to drop to -11ºC in early February.