Iran has officially started constructing the Sangtuda-2 hydro power plant in the Central Asian republic of Tajikistan.
Sangtuda-2 is designed to supply an annual 1000GWh of electricity to both Tajikistan and neighbouring countries Afganistan, Iran and Pakistan.
Iranian energy Minister Parviz Fattah and Afghan Energy Minister Ismail Khan were joined at a launch ceremony by Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov, who said the construction of the plant would not be Iran’s last contribution to the Tajik energy sector.
The new plant will be part of a larger, 670MW hydroelectric complex that has been in various stages of construction since the late 1980s. It should be completed in about three and a half years.
As part of the project, a high-voltage electricity transmission line will also be constructed to export energy from Tajikistan’s Sangtuda to Iran via Afghanistan.
Under its agreement with Tajikistan, Iran will keep the profits from Sangtuda-2 for a little over 12 years, and then the plant will become Tajikistan’s property.