AIIB lends USD 60m for 3-GW HPP rehab in Tajikistan

The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has approved a USD-60-million (EUR 53.6m) loan that will help Tajikistan rehabilitate the 3-GW Nurek hydropower plant (HPP).

At present, only 77% of Nurek HPP’s capacity is operational.

The proceeds will be used for the first phase of the USD-350-million project, the lender said on Thursday. For the Tajikistan Nurek Hydropower Rehabilitation Project Phase I, the World Bank will also provide USD 224 million through the The International Development Association (IDA) Credits and Grants programme and USD 76 million will come from other sources.

The first phase of the rehab will consist of three components, the first of which includes the replacement and refurbishment of mechanical, electrical, and electromechanical equipment and replacement of auto-transformers. Work on dam safety is planned in the second one, while the last part will involve technical assistance activities.

OJSHC Barqi Tojik will be in charge of the project’s implementation, with completion scheduled for June 2023.

Hydropower facilities generate nearly 95% of Tajikistan total power. According to the World Bank, about 60% of the HPPs there need rehabilitation by 2020 and 80% by 2030. If no measures are taken, the country’s available capacity could fall from 2,306 MW in 2012 to 760 MW by 2030.

(USD 1.0 = EUR 0.894)

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