070208 - Turkmenistan has nearly doubled the volume of electricity it exports to Tajikistan from 3.5 million kW/h to 6.6 million kW/h per day, the state energy holding Barq-i Tajik officials have announced. Tajik officials were happy to learn that there was still a possibility of further increase in Turkmen electricity import.

The move follows Tajik President Rahmon's telephone conversation with his Turkmen counterpart last week. As reported earlier by tajikistanweb.com , President Berdymuhamedow of Turkmenistan had promised to give certain directives to his energy officials to increase the volume of electricity exported to Tajikistan. Turkmenistan is committed under an agreement to supply 1.2 billion kW/h of power to Tajikistan during autumn and winter of 2007 and 2008.

Meanwhile, according to Barq-i Tajik officials quoted by Russian and Tajik agencies, Uzbekistan has cut its electricity supply to Tajikistan again resumed by the end of January. Tashkent used to export 2.2 million kW/h of electricity power per day to Tajikistan. Reportedly the stoppage could be lifted sooner rather than later. ITAR-TASS quotes the deputy head of Barq-i Tajik Rashid Gulov as saying that the suspension caused by Uzbekistan's domestic difficulties is expected to be short-term.

Furthermore, a hasty agreement was reached with Kyrgyzstan in the end of January that fomented export of power at the rate of 500 000 kW/h per day to northern districts of Tajikistan.

If Uzbekistan's power export suspension proves to be short term indeed, Tajikistan will be receiving nearly 10 million kW/h of power per day from his neighbours altogether, while the country's main hydroelectric plant Narak (Nurek) generates over 40 million kW/h of electricity per day. Given that the capital city alone consumes around 12 million kW/h of power per day, the figures do not impress profoundly.

State Advisor to the Tajik President for Economic Affairs Matlubkhan Davlatov said that the country suffered an estimated 850 million samanis (around 245 million dollars) in economic damage from the current energy crisis.

Weather forecasts predict another wave of a Siberian cold snap after Thursday, 7 February.

(Sources: Asia-Plus, Regnum, ITAR-TASS)