First Deputy Minister for Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan, Jamshed Shoimzoda on Sunday said that the major energy project, CASA-1000 between Pakistan and Tajikistan will be completed by December 2026, which will start providing 1000 MW of electricity to Pakistan.
This grand project will take time to be operational by January 2027, after which bilateral cooperation in the energy sector between the two countries will be further promoted and there will be a new beginning of clean and green energy projects in both countries, First Deputy Minister for Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan, Jamshed Shoimzoda told APP in Dushanbe (Tajikistan).
Tajik energy Minister said that Tajikistan will completely switch to green energy and zero emission by 2027 and during this time, it will make great efforts to implement the green energy project with other countries in the region.
“The transmission capacity of the CASA-1000 energy project will be 1,300 megawatts, which will be an energy link between Tajikistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan to provide clean energy not only to regional countries but also to prove the need of Pakistan’s industrial sector, “he said.
The Minister hoped that the CASA-1000 projects would be completed in due time and also to meet Pakistan’s energy needs and enhance bilateral cooperation in the energy sector.
He said, “Massive infrastructural projects will be beneficial for all of its stakeholders by fulfilling energy needs and strengthening regional connectivity.”
Shoimzoda said that Tajikistan has the capacity to export 10 billion KW of energy annually, which will benefit all countries in the region, including Pakistan.
He said that Tajikistan currently has the capacity to generate 500 billion KM of electricity, which is currently the highest among regional countries in hydel power.
The Minister said that Tajikistan owns two biggest dams, including the Nurek Dam and the Rogun Dam and both have a capacity of 6,600 MW electricity production.
The Nurek Dam is the second-highest dam in the world, with a height of 300 meters (984 feet) and production Capacity is 3000 MW.
The reservoir formed by the Nurek Dam is also the largest in Tajikistan, with a capacity of 10.5 cubic kilometers and this dam is currently under construction and will be the world’s highest when completed, surpassing the Nurek Dam in height.
He said that the Rogun Dam is under construction and will be the world’s highest dam, with a height of 335 meters (1,099 feet) and this earth-fill dam on the Vakhsh River has a production capacity of 3600 MG.
The Rogun Dam is expected to double Tajikistan’s energy production and is crucial for the country’s energy independence.
The Minister said that Tajikistan is already providing electricity to other regional countries including Afghanistan and in the future Tajikistan will create a regional energy hub, which will usher in a new era of sustainable energy production and economic prosperity in the region.
The Central Asia-South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project (CASA-1000) is a $1.2 billion regional power project designed to bring the benefits of interconnectivity to four countries Tajikistan, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan.