DUSHANBE, December 20, 2011, Asia-Plus  -- The first unit of the Sangtuda-2 hydroelectric power plant (HPP) is expected to begin to generate electricity on December 22 and it will be connected to Tajikistan’s unified power system on December 30, the source in the Iranian Embassy in Dushanbe told Asia-Plus Tuesday afternoon.

According to him, all technical problems have been solved and specialists have completed all necessary technical works to make the station ready for connection to the country’s power system.

The source added that the second unit of the plant would be introduced into operation in April or May next year.

“The price of one kWh of electricity generated by the Sagntuda-2 HPP will be 2.98 cents,” he noted.

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.

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.

The power plant on the Vakhsh River, 150 kilometers south of the capital, Dushanbe, is expected to help alleviate power shortages in Tajikistan.