International Cooperation. The Republic of Tajikistan

Energy of Tajikistan was practically created in last 80 years. In 1936, the first hydroelectric power plant was put into operation - Varzobskaya hydroelectric power plant number 1, and in 1984 - the last major hydroelectric power plant - Baipazinskaya. In 2009, was completed the building of Sangtudinskaya hydroelectric power plant number 1 with an installed capacity of 675 megawatt. From that time and to the present day the power energy system in Tajikistan remains at the level of 4,4-5 million kilowatt, of which falls to share of thermal power plants only about 6%.

Energy sector, along with agriculture sector, is one of the basic branches of the economy. It defines the level of development of all economic sectors and also carries out social functions, associated with providing of natural human needs in warmth and light.

Tajikistan's hydropower engineering resources are unique. Tajikistan is one of the first places in the world, where are so many resources, but they are now used by only 5%. While hydropower resources distributed almost evenly across the country.

By hydro energetics potential per head (87.8 thousand/kilowatt/hour per year/person) Tajikistan keeps the second place. Also, by potential water power reserves per square kilometer of territory (3,682.7 thousand/kilowatt/hour per year/km2), Tajikistan keeps the first place in the world, far and away taking the lead over other countries. Total annual potential resources of water power in the republic make up 527 billion kilowatt/hour.

Energy of Tajikistan, which is based on 95 percent or more of water power, has a very high profitability. Cost of electricity in the country counting the entire cycle of production, transportation and distribution does not exceed 0.8 cents/kilowatt/hour. Therefore primary energy of Tajikistan is extremely competitive in the general market and access to it is one of the highest priorities for the country.

Shortage of electricity in Tajikistan exists only in autumn and winter periods. During the summer, in the country there is the excess of electricity, though with the same volume. This is a consequence of insufficient capacity to regulate the river flow by existing reservoirs. During Soviet times, between Tajikistan and neighboring countries within the bounds of the Unified Energy System (UES) of Central Asia was the exchange of the excessive summer electricity to the winter and it closed the deficit. After the collapse of the USSR such a sharing scheme was abolished. The entry to the summer electricity market for Tajikistan was blocked, and, as a result, electricity now simply thrown into the air in the form of idle discharges of hydropower plant. This forms the current electricity shortage in the country.

Another reason for the shortage of electricity in the country in the autumn and winter periods is the sharp decline of oil and gas supplies to Tajikistan from neighboring countries. As a result, domestic electricity consumption by population compared to the late 80's and early 90's of the last century was quadrupled - from 1 billion kilowatt/hour to 4.5 billion kilowatt/hour per year.

Tajikistan is a typical mountainous country. The territory of Tajikistan take up highest mountain systems of Central Asia - Pamir-Alay and Tien Shan.

Mountain areas lying above 600 m make up more than 93% of the whole territory of the country. Half of the territory of Tajikistan is located at an altitude of over 3000 m.

With the mountain character of the relief is associated the formation of numerous micro geographical areas. Each natural area presents almost all landscape areas of the world - from dry subtropics to eternal ice and snow. The population is placed, on heights, uneven.

Table 1
Distribution of the population of mountain regions of Tajikistan to altitudinal belts

 Note: Areas higher than 3000m are not taken, as they have very sparse population.

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* H.M. Mukhabatov, Natural resource potential of mountain regions of Tajikistan, Moscow, Granitsa, 1999, 335p.

    The Republic of Tajikistan has significant reserves of energy resources:

    - Common potential water resources make up 527 billion kilowatt/hour per year.

    - Recoverable prospective resources of hydrocarbon energy resources make up:

        oil - 117 million tons

        gas - 857 billion cubic meters.

        condensate - 26 million tons

    - Probable reserves of coal are currently estimated at 4.6 billion tons.

 Water Resources and Water Power

More than half of the river flow of Central Asia countries formed on the territory of Tajikistan. Electricity in Tajikistan primarily produced on hydropower plant. Moreover, explored oil and gas reserves in the country are small.

Table 2

Water resources of the largest rivers, km3 *

Table 3

Resources of river flow of Central Asia countries *

* Surface water resources of the USSR. volume 14, 3^rd edition. - Gidrometeoizdat, 1971.

Currently, in the mountain regions of Tien Shan and Pamir happens the reduction and disappearance of glaciers. There are several reasons of the ongoing destruction of glaciers, and one of them is global warming. According to UNEP, in recent decades, there was an increase in surface air temperature of about 0.6 ° C, in the mountains - 1.6 ° C. For natural reasons of melting of glaciers is their contamination by dust, formed by weathering. Especially much dust comes by dust storms from Iran, Afghanistan, China, and other desert areas. During the year to the glaciers deposited up to 20 g/m2 of dust.

The research covered 530 large and small rivers of Tajikistan with a total length of 14 316 km. 10-25 km long rivers classified in categories of small.   

Table 4

Potential water power resources of Tajikistan’s mountain rivers

Source: "Hydropower resources of the Tajik SSR." Nedra, Leningrad, 1965

Table 5

Techno-economic indicators of construction of small hydropower plants in middle and high zones of Gharm valley *

Water resources are focused mainly on large rivers such as Vakhsh and Panj, Obi-Khingou and others. Specific saturation of potential hydropower resources makes up a significant amount - 3682.7 kilowatt/hour per 1 km2 of area (the first place in the world), potential water resources per head - 87,800 kilowatt/hour per year (second place in the world).