DUSHANBE, August 17, 2011, Asia-Plus - Even despite recommendations provided by WB experts the Government of Tajikistan should not set the construction of Rogun hydropower plant aside, chairman of the the Communist party of Tajikistan and deputy of the Tajik Parliament Shodi Shabdolov has said.

In his comments on WB’s recommendations to the Government of Tajikistan Shabdolov said that every day of delay may seriously affect the functioning of other hydropower plants of the Vakhsh cascade.

“Sediment load in Nurek HPP reached critical point and any delay may play dramatic role not only for Nurek, but also for Baipaza, Sangtuda-1 and Sangtuda-2,” member of the parliamentary committee on energy and construction has said.

Leader of Tajik communists believes that the arguments of WB experts who recently concluded that starting immediate construction of an initial stage of the proposed Rogun HPP with an intermediate height dam of 120 meters (up to El. 1110 m) is not recommended, primarily due to the heavy sediment load carried by the Vakhsh River, are not reasonable enough.

“There are no such facilities in the world which were built without any risk. Level of sediment load carried by Vakhsh River won’t pose any serious threat for such giant reservoir as Rogun HPP,” he added.