The authorities of Tajikistan and Russia have reached an agreement in principle on the issue of settling the debt for electricity supplies to the joint venture «Sangtuda HPP-1», the parties are working to draw up appropriate additions to the intergovernmental agreement. The Minister of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan Daler Juma told reporters about this at a press conference, answering a question from TASS.
«Naturally, over the past few years there have been very intensive negotiations and discussions regarding the situation with Sangtuda HPP-1. <...> The parties came to an agreement in principle, we, in principle, resolved all the main points. We are now working on creating a draft [document] on an addition to the intergovernmental agreement», he said.
Juma did not disclose the details of the agreements, but expressed hope that an addition to the agreement would be signed in the near future.
«This project is important for both Tajikistan and the Russian Federation. 12% of the total energy generated [in Tajikistan] is provided by this power plant, so it is very important for us», — the minister emphasized.
OJSC «Sangtuda HPP-1» is a Russian-Tajik joint venture formed in 2005. The share of the Russian Federation in the authorized capital is 75% minus one share, Tajikistan — 25% plus one share. A hydroelectric power station with a capacity of 670 MW is located on the Vakhsh River in the Khatlon region of Tajikistan.
Earlier, the Russian Ambassador to Dushanbe Semyon Grigoriev, in an interview with TASS, informed that the only buyer of electricity produced by Sangtuda HPP-1 is the state energy holding «Barki Tojik», which throughout the entire period of operation of the station does not fully pay the cost of the generated energy. He noted that finding a solution is in the interests of the two countries, and also that it is important to find «namely an economic solution to the issue».
The website of the joint venture reports that at the end of December 2024, the debt «Barki tojik» to the hydroelectric power station exceeded 3.25 billion somoni (almost $299 million).
