DUSHANBE, September 25, 2013, Asia-Plus -- The work on installation of the second unit at the Sangtuda-2 hydroelectric power plant (HPP) is under way, according to the Ministry of Energy and Industry (MoEI).

An official source at a MoEI says introduction of the second unit of the Sangtuda-2 HPP into operation will increase Tajikistan’s annual generation of electricity by 500 million kWh.   

We will recall that the first unit of the plant was introduced into operation on September 5, 2011.  Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and his Iranian counterpart Mahmoud Ahmadinejad attended a joint ceremony to unveil the Sangtuda-2 dam and power plant.  

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, which has put some 180 million U.S. dollars into the construction of the hydropower station, will operate it for the next 12 years and then transfer control to Tajikistan, whose contribution to the construction costs amounted to around 40 million U.S. dollars.

The power plant is expected to help alleviate power shortages in Tajikistan during autumn-winter period.