Tajikistan may cancel a deal with Russian aluminum giant RusAl to build a hydro power plant in its southeast, a board member of the Russian electricity monopoly, also interested in the project, said Friday.
Andrei Rappoport of the Unified Energy System of Russia (UES) said the project in southeast Tajikistan could be put out for international tender instead of the contract with RusAl.
"During a meeting with the president [of Tajikistan Emomali Rakhmon], I was told that the country had prepared papers for an international tender to build the Rogun HPP," Rappoport said.
UES experts, he said, had met with Rakhmon to communicate their own plans for the plant.
UES "is neutral, although we have our own interests there," said Rappoport, indicating they were waiting "for the political will of the Tajik leadership to appear."
The utility is already building the Sangtudin power plant in Tajikistan and had earlier shown interest in the completion of Rogun as well.
"Russia must be part of the project to complete Rogun as it is a strategic facility for Tajikistan and an important source of electricity exports to Russia," he said.
RusAl signed a deal to build the 2,400-MW Rogun HPP on the Amu Darya river in late 2004 at its own expense. Under the feasibility study made by Germany's Lahmayer, the dam was to be built to a height of 285 m. The Tajik government has since insisted on a height of 335 m, but RusAl said the government should fund the additional work and first coordinate the project with other states in the Amu Darya basin.
The company - after a merger with Russian rival SUAL and alumina assets of the Swiss trader Glencore world's No 1 aluminum group - said they had sent official notification to the Tajik government in October last year, but had received no response.
Andrei Rappoport of the Unified Energy System of Russia (UES) said the project in southeast Tajikistan could be put out for international tender instead of the contract with RusAl.
"During a meeting with the president [of Tajikistan Emomali Rakhmon], I was told that the country had prepared papers for an international tender to build the Rogun HPP," Rappoport said.
"As RusAl has no operations in Rogun right now, Tajikistan claims that the joint venture is no longer possible," he said.
UES experts, he said, had met with Rakhmon to communicate their own plans for the plant.
UES "is neutral, although we have our own interests there," said Rappoport, indicating they were waiting "for the political will of the Tajik leadership to appear."
The utility is already building the Sangtudin power plant in Tajikistan and had earlier shown interest in the completion of Rogun as well.
"Russia must be part of the project to complete Rogun as it is a strategic facility for Tajikistan and an important source of electricity exports to Russia," he said.
RusAl signed a deal to build the 2,400-MW Rogun HPP on the Amu Darya river in late 2004 at its own expense. Under the feasibility study made by Germany's Lahmayer, the dam was to be built to a height of 285 m. The Tajik government has since insisted on a height of 335 m, but RusAl said the government should fund the additional work and first coordinate the project with other states in the Amu Darya basin.
The company - after a merger with Russian rival SUAL and alumina assets of the Swiss trader Glencore world's No 1 aluminum group - said they had sent official notification to the Tajik government in October last year, but had received no response.
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