In Tajikistan, 7 new hydroelectric power plants will be built, stated Sanat Rahimov, the head of the State Service for Safety Control in the Mining Industry of Tajikistan, reports "Sputnik Tajikistan."
Rahimov noted that the stations will be constructed in the upper reaches of the Vakhsh River, which already has eight hydroelectric power plants, including the Rogun HPP. According to Rahimov, the new stations will ensure the safety of large HPPs.
The official explained that Tajikistan's rivers, being seasonal, periodically become muddy. For instance, the Vakhsh River brings about 72 million tons of silt annually.
"Until now, this silt was collected at the 'Nurek' power plant and settled in the reservoir. Now we can say that the Rogun power plant has practically eliminated the danger, all the silt is intercepted here," Rahimov stated.
He explained that a high level of silt in reservoirs is harmful to power plants. Silt is a quality fertile product, but currently, there is no equipment for its extraction. Additionally, the removal and sale of silt require significant funds, but this does not eliminate the danger to power plants.
"We decided to build another 7 power plants above the Rogun HPP at the source of the Vakhsh River. This will minimize the risk of floods and, in particular, fully secure the 'Rogun' and 'Nurek' power plants," Rahimov stated.
He did not specify where exactly the new power plants are planned to be built, the construction timelines, or their capacity.
Tajikistan has the largest hydropower potential in Central Asia. Over 98% of the electricity generated in Tajikistan comes from hydroelectric power plants, including 97% from large and medium ones. The top five largest include: Nurek, Sangtuda HPP-1, Baipazin, Sarband, Sangtuda HPP-2. The average annual electricity generation in the Tajik energy system is 16.5 billion kWh.
Tajikistan possesses enormous reserves of hydropower resources, estimated at 527 billion kWh per year.
CentralasianLIGHT.org
July 25, 2024