Tajikistan intends to complete construction of its part of the transmission line to the end of the year as part of CASA-1000 project

The construction of line segment through Tajikistan, envisaged by the  electricity transmission project CASA-1000 , will be completed by the end of this year, First Deputy Minister of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan Jamshed Shoimzoda said on February 24 during the presentation of the project.

The CASA-1000 Regional Electricity Transmission Project provides for the installation of transmission lines to export electricity from Kyrgyzstan to Tajikistan and further to Afghanistan and Pakistan. The total length of the entire project lines is 1227 km. According to the feasibility study, the cost of the entire project is $ 1.86 billion. The implementation of its Tajik part will require $ 314 million. To date, the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank, European Investment Bank and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development have already allocated the necessary funds and signed financial agreements.

“We will finalize the Tajik part of the CASA-1000 project by the end of 2021,” the deputy minister said. According to him, every 3-4 months the regional group meets to coordinate the project activities. “There is a high theoretical probability that the first 650 MW pool will be launched in late 2021 or early 2022,” Shoimzoda said. He noted that about 80% of the equipment was purchased and delivered to Tajikistan, and almost 70% of power lines installation and a converter substation construction works were completed.

Shoimzoda said that to date, out of $ 314 million, about $ 111 million has been spent. “Within the limits of the stipulated amount, most of it is loans and grants, but we are most interested in using grant funds,” the deputy minister said. He added that the signed agreements are designed for 15 years, during which investment will be fully returned.