DUSHANBE, 23.08.2019 (NIAT Khovar) – The Founder of Peace and National Unity, Leader of the Nation, President of the Republic of Tajikustan Emomali Rahmon visited the Qairoqqum Hydroelectric Power Plant and officially kicked off the Implementation of Rehabilitation Project of six hydropower units of Qairoqqum HPP.

Construction work began in 1952, and its first unit with a capacity of 21 MW was put into operation on December 15, 1956. Qairoqqum HPP consists of 6 units and fully operated produced 126 MW on November 20, 1957.

The construction of the Qairoqqum HPP marked the beginning of irrigation of lands and the effective development of hydropower resources in Central Asia.

Currently, 110 people, 20 of whom are women, are working at this important hydropower facility. The number of engineering and technical staff totals 41 people.

The Qairoqqum hydroelectric reservoir is seasonally regulated. The total volume of the reservoir is 3.5 billion cubicmeters, and its useful part is 2.6 billion cubic meters. The total area of the reservoir when filled with water to the upper horizontal level covers 512 square kilometers.

The average annual electricity production of the Qairoqqum HPP is  600-650 million kilowatt per hour. The object is connected to the energy system through five 220 kV transmission lines and five 110 kV transmission lines.

The plant has generated over 40 billion kWh of electricity in the last 63 years of its operation.

The project is scheduled to be completed in 57 months, that is, by 2023. The reconstruction of the main and auxiliary equipment of the station, repair and rehabilitation of its hydraulic facilities, as a result of which the design capacity of each unit of the station will be brought up to almost 30 MW and the station’s total capacity will be increased  to 176 MW.

After the completion of the project, the capacity of the Qairoqqum hydroelectric station will increase by 50 megawatts, electricity production will increase by an average of 37%, as a result of which the supply of electricity to the population and various economic sectors of the Sughd region will increase and improve.

The project’s progress is the result of President Rahmon’s efforts toward achieving one of the strategic goals of the country, that is, energy independence within the framework of effective bilateral and multilateral cooperation of the government of Tajikistan with development partners.  The cost of the reconstruction of this hydropower facility amounts to $200 million.

Technical and economic feasibility studies of the reconstruction of the station was carried out in 2014 as part of the project of the Austrian advisory company IC Consulenten with the assistance of grant investments from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

In the course of acquaintance with the project, President Rahmon gave specific instructions to persons in charge of monitoring the quality of work, and the contracting company of the project General Electric Hydro (France), Generalelectric Renewable Switzerland (Switzerland ) and Cobra Instalaciones y Servicios SA (Spain).

He emphasized that during the implementation of the project it is necessary to attach particular importance to the quality of work and complete the reconstruction of the station on schedule.

The plan includes the installation of six units, their auxiliary equipment, six turbines and their control systems, replacement of six water locks, repair of two cranes, replacement of 110 kilovolt gasinsulated switchgear (GIS), replacement of six power 10.5 / 110 kilovolt transformers, replacement of two transformers with a capacity of 125 kilowatts in the direction of 110/220 kilovolt voltage, repair of damaged points of the concrete shaft, overhaul of the gateway gate, repair of the spillway gateway and the replacement of control hydraulic reservoir facility.

Since Tajikistan’s independence, the plans and programs of the government have in part been aimed at achieving energy independence, as well as realizing ideas and objectives of the head of state to improve the quality of life of the people of Tajikistan.

The start of the restoration and construction of Roghun HPP, rebuilding of Norak, Sarband, and Kairokkum HPPs, the launch of Sangtuda-1, Sangtuda-2, Pomir-1, Tojikiston HPPs at an altitude of 3500 meters above the sea level in the remote area of Murghob, Thermal power plant Dushanbe 2, electric substations Dushanbe and Sughd with a capacity of 500 KW, power transmission lines South-North, electric and gas insulated switchgear (GIS) with a capacity of 200 and 500 KW within Norak HPP, substations Lolazor, Khatlon, Ayni, Shahriston, Shahrinav, Geran-2 with a capacity of 200 KW, power transmission lines with a capacity of 200 KW Lolazor-Khatlon, Tajikistan-Afghanistan, Khujand-Ayni, Kairokkum-Sughd, Ayni-Rudaki, as well as commencement of an implementation of the CASA-100 project have been among the noticeable achievements of Tajikistan towards energy independence. In the past ten years the energy system of the country has increased by 1320 MW and more than 1300 kilometers of power transmission lines with a capacity of 220,500 and 110 KW have been installed.

The production capacity of the country’s energy system has increased by 1320 megawatts.