Tajikistan has asked the Iranian government to speed up the pace of the construction of the Sangtuda-2 hydroelectric power station [in southern Tajikistan] and to put the power station into operation before the set deadline, Tajik Foreign Minister Hamrokhon Zarifi has said at a news conference.

He said that in line with an earlier signed Tajik-Iranian agreement, the Sangtuda-2 hydroelectric power station should be commissioned in 2012. However, due to the lack of [electric] energy in the autumn and winter period, the Tajik side requested Iranian partners to put the power station into operation by 2010.

Currently, Iranian specialists are actively working to build the Sangtuda-2 hydroelectric power station, the foreign minister noted.

Touching on the delivery of Turkmen electricity to Tajikistan, Zarifi said Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan had agreed on the delivery of 1.2bn kWh of electricity via Uzbekistan’s power grids, Tajik Avesta website reported on 18 October:

"We have received a reply from the Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which says the Uzbek side is ready to discuss with Tajikistan the issue of the construction of the Zarafshon hydroelectric power station on the River Zarafshon [in northern Tajikistan]," Zarifi said.

We recall that early this year, China’s Sinohydro company suspended work to design a feasibility study of the project to build the Sangtuda-2 hydroelectric power station in connection with a note of protest by the Uzbek Ministry of Foreign Affairs.