Publications

Survey of Energy Resources 2007

Hydropower Country Notes

Tajikistan

The terrain and climate are highly favourable to the development of hydropower. Apart from the Russian Federation, Tajikistan has the highest potential hydro generation of any of the FSU republics. Its economically feasible potential is estimated to be 263.5 TWh/yr, of which only about 6% has been harnessed so far. Hydropower provides over 95% of Tajikistan's electricity generation.

Just over 4.5 GW of hydro capacity is installed, the principal site being Nurek
(3 000 MW). The Sangtuda plant, currently under construction, will add another 670 MW to Tajikistan's capacity. Hydropower & Dams World Atlas 2006 reports that an enormous hydro potential exists on the river Panj (the principal tributary of the Amu- Darya): 14 HPPs with an aggregate capacity of 18 720 MW could eventually be developed. (As the Panj forms Tajikistan's border with Afghanistan, a portion of the capacity/output would presumably accrue to the latter country). Additional potential capacity of around 4 800 MW could be installed at sites on other rivers, for which feasibility studies have been conducted. Lastly, work on the huge Rogun scheme (3 600 MW) on the river Vakhsh has been suspended, but is expected to go ahead in due course. If all these potential developments came to fruition, as much as 27 000 MW might be added to Tajikistan's hydro generating capacity over the long term.