DUSHANBE, January 10, 2014, Asia-Plus -- The Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan (MoEWR) has confirmed that the Sangtuda-2 hydroelectric power plant (HPP) suspended operations.

An official source at a MoEWR says the issue of suspension of the Sangtuda-2 HPP operations has been cleared with the ministry and it has nothing to do with Tajik power holding’s debt.

According to him, the power plant has suspended operations for “maintenance operations.”  “It is still unknown when they will finish the maintenance operations,” the source added.

Meanwhile, a source in the Tajik government says the Sangtuda-2 HP has not been in operation since mid-December 2013.  He refrained from giving further details and just said that he did not know when the plant, which had been built with help of Iranian specialists, would be reintroduced into operation.