DUSHANBE, August 6, 2013, Asia-Plus -- On Monday August 5, Prime Minister Oqil Oqilov held a meeting with participation of senior representatives of relevant ministries and agencies to discuss the pace of construction of a new combined heat and power (CHP) plant in Dushanbe.

Subhiddin Muhiddinov, a senior consultant, president’s press center notes that Oqilov pointed to the necessity of speeding up the pace of the CHP plant construction and stressed that the first 50 MW unit of the Dushanbe-2 CHP plant should be introduced into operation in autumn this year.

“The prime minister noted that additional more than 3 kilometers of heating mains should be constructed and existing heating mains should be rehabilitated in order to ensure regular supply of heat and hot water to residential buildings during autumn-winter season,” said the senior consultant.  “Oqilov also ordered to take measures to repair the western and eastern boiler houses of Dushanbe.”         

We will recall that a total capacity of this coal-powered plant, which is being built in the Luchob area of the capital, will be 200 megawatt.  Construction of the coal-powered plant is reportedly in compliance with Tajikistan’s environmental regulations.

Tajikistan relies almost exclusively on hydropower to generate electricity, which becomes scarce in the winter months when rivers freeze and water reservoir levels drop.