More Information on Turkmen-Tajik Electric Energy Deal

Ashgabat, 31 July 2007 (nCa) --- The government of Turkmenistan has released more details about its recently concluded deal of supplying electricity to Tajikistan.

According to the details, Turkmenistan will supply one billion kilowatt hours of electricity to Tajikistan annually in the autumn/winter months of 2007-8, 2008-9 and 2009-10.

The ministry of energy and industry of Turkmenistan will supply the electric energy and from the Tajik side Tajikistan Aluminum Corporation (Talco) and joint stock company Burq-e-Tajik (Tajik Electricity) will act as buyers.

The price for the first year of delivery will be 2.1 cents per kilowatt hour.

Turkmenistan is responsible for delivering electricity at the border with Uzbekistan. Transit arrangements through Uzbekistan and payment of transit charges will be the responsibility of Tajik side.

Turkmenistan supplied electricity to Tajikistan from 1992 to 2001 but the flow was disconnected because of some problems with transit, says TDH, the official news agency of Turkmenistan. Both sides agree that the debts outstanding since that time are about US $ 5 million. Under the new terms, Tajikistan will repay this sum in three years.

Export of electricity will not affect the domestic market; there is enough generation capacity to meet all commitments. Moreover, a new powerhouse in Dashoguz will come into operation within the next three months. It will add 1.7 billion kilowatt hours to the annual generation capacity of Turkmenistan.

Turkmenistan is already exporting electricity to Afghanistan, Iran and Turkey. During the first half of 2007 Turkmenistan exported 837 million kilowatt hours of electro-energy.