DUSHANBE, August 27, 2011, Asia-Plus -- Introduction of the first unit of the Sangtuda-2 hydroelectric power plant (HPP) is postponed for at least two months, the source at the representative office of Iran’s Sangab Company in Dushanbe said in an interview with Asia-Plus.

According to him, last year’s halting of Tajikistan-bound freight cars on Uzbek territory has affected construction of the Sangtuda-2 HPP that Iran is financing and building in southern Tajikistan.

It is to be noted that one of purposes of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s visit to Tajikistan scheduled for September 4-5 was to participate at a ceremony of introduction of the first unit of the Sangtuda-2 HPP into operation.

We will recall that Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and Iranian Energy Minister Majid Namjou on November 28, 2010 pressed buttons that detonated explosives, blocking the Vakhsh River for construction of the dam.

Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Emomali Rahmon promised at the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) summit in Istanbul in December 2010 that the first turbine at Sangtuda-2 will begin producing electricity in 2011.

Construction of Sangtuda-2, a 220-megawatt plant on the Vakhsh River, officially commenced in February 2006.  It is located some 120 kilometers southeast of Dushanbe.  Iran has invested US$180 million and Tajikistan US$40 million in the project.  Once the power station is built, all the revenue over the next 12.5 years will go to the investor and Tajikistan will become the owner of Sangtuda-2 after this period expires.