A World Bank Team of experts has completed its 10-day visit to Tajikistan to review the progress of the Assessment Studies for the proposed Rogun Project. The team was accompanied by the two independent Panels of Experts - the Engineering and Dam Safety Panel and the Environment and Social Panel, whose role is to ensure that international standards of design, risk evaluation and impact assessment are met, The World Bank website reported.
During the visit, the experts visited the Rogun site, communities residing within the proposed reservoir area, the Nurek HPP and the Vakhsh River basin, and held a number of working meetings with representatives of the Government of Tajikistan, Rogun Joint Stock Company and Barki Tajik, and the two international consulting firms who are conducting the Assessment Studies.
The Bank Team has concluded that the Assessment Studies, which started in March 2011, are making notable progress. In a period of about five months, the international consultants have collected and analyzed a large amount of available data and studies, and have produced several initial assessments and reports. The assessments have provided inputs relating to the initial environmental and social screening, design criteria, technical specifications for additional geotechnical investigations, methodologies for evaluating the operation of the Vakhsh cascade, and an assessment of an intermediate height dam as a stand-alone project. Initial estimates of high floods were found to be generally in line with current estimates, and critical site investigations could be completed earlier than previously expected. The initial assessments also identified aspects that require further review and analysis.
This visit was part of the process to carry out the two Assessment Studies for the proposed Rogun HPP - the Techno-Economic Assessment Study and the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment.
The World Bank is also currently preparing a power supply options study for Tajikistan. This study will assess the energy supply options available to Tajikistan taking into account power, economic, environmental, social, and water management considerations. The World Bank's overall engagement in the energy sector supports the Government of Tajikistan's strategy to ensure reliable supply to consumers, deal with the severe winter energy shortages, reduce electricity system losses and strengthen financial management system to improve the financial condition of the energy sector, and develop a regional trade scheme to achieve sustainable export of summer surplus electricity.
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