DUSHANBE, April 25, 2014, Asia-Plus -- Tajik Prime Minister Qohir Rasoulzoda yesterday got acquainted with work of the Dushanbe-2 combined head and power (CHP) plant.

Subhiddin Muhiddinov, a senior consultant to president’s press center, says the work on assembling and introducing the second line of the plant into operation is under way.

According to him, Rasoulzoda ordered relevant bodies to take measure to ensure stable work of the plant during autumn-winter period and continue work on constructing pipeline for connection to Dushanbe-1 CHP plant.

“Within the next three years, the capacity of the Dushanbe-2 CHP plant will be increased to 400 MW.

We will recall that the first 50 MW unit of the Dushanbe-2 CHP plant was introduced into operation on January 10 and it second unit is expected to be introduced into operation also this year, increasing the plant’s capacity to 100 megawatt.

This coal-powered plant is being constructed within the framework of a trilateral agreement signed between the MoEI, China’s Tebian Electric Apparatus Stock Co. Ltd (TBEA) and Electronic Apparatus Dushanbe Mining Co Ltd.

Monthly requirements of this facility in coal are 22,300 tons and 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.