Sangtuda-2 hydropower plant in Tajikistan to be put into operation this week

Sangtuda-2 hydropower plant on the Vakhsh River in Tajikistan will be started at full capacity this week, Deputy Minister of Energy and Industry of Tajikistan Pulod Muhiddinov said on Sunday.

According to him, the launching ceremony of hydropower plant, consisting of two turbines 110 megawatt each, will be held during the celebration of the Nowruz spring festival in Tajikistan.

It is expected that the inauguration of the station, built with the Iranian investments, will be attended by Presidents of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, according to the Iranian news agency Fars.

Sangtuda-2 HPP will increase the production of electricity in Tajikistan to 1 billion kW per year.

The cost of construction of the hydroelectric power station, 120 km away to the south-east of Dushanbe, is $180 million, Tajikistan has invested $40 million into the project.

The first turbine of the plant was launched in September 2011.