The Republic of Tajikistan is heavily dependent on hydroelectric power, with about 98 percent of the electricity generated in Tajikistan coming from hydroelectric sources.  The balance of electricity generation is from fossil fuels.

It is estimated that the country has a hydroelectric energy potential of over 300 billion kWh per year, though the current utilization is 16.6 billion kWh, about 6 percent of the total potential (EIA, 2005).

The electric transmission and distribution system is in serious need of improvement and modernization. The electricity grid is currently divided into a northern and southern network, with both networks connected to Uzbekistan.  As a result, Tajikistan both imports and exports a significant amount of power.  This divided system has also led to inconsistent power supply to remote areas.  The two systems are planned to eventually connect.  Currently, a study is being financed with Kuwaiti aid to look at improvements for the grid (GlobalSecurity, 2005).

Additionally, about 40 percent of the total energy produced in Tajikistan is used by the Tursunzodz aluminum plant.  More energy producing capacity is needed to resolve domestic energy problems and provide Tajikistan the ability to export electricity to neighboring countries.

The lack of abundant natural resources will prevent Tajikistan's economy from expanding as fast as the other countries in the region.  Without a substantial improvement in both the production and distribution of electrical power, the country will never be able to reap the full benefits of improved aluminum production.

Tajikistan Country Summary Table

Evolution of Total Production of Energy from 1990 to 2006 in Tajikistan

(Source: IEA)

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At the legislative level, the issues of energy production and use are regulated by the Law on Energy, Law on Energy Saving, Law on Nature Protection, Law on Mineral Resources, etc. The Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Industry, Tajik Geological Survey, and Ministry for Nature Protection are the major governmental institutions dealing with energy production and use. These institutions manage mineral resources; determine terms and technological parameters of mining; issue mining lease documents and supervise deposit conservation; monitor all terms of natural resource management. The Ministry for Nature Protection regulates sustainable management of energy resources and monitor observance of nature use regulations (emissions, pollution, waste formation) etc.

Recently, the Government of Tajikistan has begun a two-track approach to reform its energy sector.  The first track focuses on reforming the domestic energy sector, energy pricing, financial discipline, solar protection and institutional reforms.  The second is aimed at creating a strategy for the export market.  In February 2007 the Government of Tajikistan approved the Program on the Use of Renewable Energy in Tajikistan for 2007-2015 (Kabutov, 2007).

To support the reform the World Bank is supporting an energy loss reduction program that aims to reduce commercial losses in the electricity and gas systems.  Electricity tariffs have been increased four fold to reach a weighted average tariff of US 1.59 cents per kilowatt.  Also, the installation of smart electricity meters has commenced (World Bank Statement, 2008).

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The terrain of Tajikistan is 93 percent mountainous and it includes the foothills of the Himalayas. Pamir and Alay mountains dominate landscape; western Fergana Valley in north, Kofarnihon and Vakhsh Valleys in southwest. Complicated alpine relief of the country dictates the diversity of wind regimes.

There is no operational wind energy capacity in Tajikistan; however supplementing the dominant hydropower with wind energy is justifiable in certain regions. The strongest winds blow in highland regions, such as Fedchenko and Anzob, and where the landscape of the country favors convergence of air flows, such as in Khujand or Fayzabad. The annual average wind speed in these regions is around 5-6 m/s. Lower average wind speeds of 3-4 m/s are found in the open lowlands and wide valleys. In other lowlands the mean annual wind speed may not exceed 1-2 m/s, which would not be useful for wind energy generation.

The most promising areas are the Pamirs northward the Sarez Lake in the Gorno-Badakshan, Turkmenistan ridge in the Zeravshan river headwater and the region from the Vakhsh ridge to the boundary with Afghanistan.  A map displaying the wind velocities throughout the country can be seen in the following figure.

Tajikistan Wind Resource Map (Source: 3Tier)

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Tajikistan possesses the potential to use agricultural wastes as an energy source. The most promising option of biomass utilization is biogas generation by means of anaerobic fermentation of manure.  A few experimental biogas generators currently operate in Tajikistan.  In addition, there is the potential opportunity to produce energy by a thermochemical method of biomass conversion using cotton residues.

Application of bio-fuels is appropriate within cattle breeding areas and farms. The biomass decay lead to the formation of by-products such as methane, liquid methanol, and wood charcoal.

It is estimated that Tajikistan has the potential to produce around 2 billion kWh/year of electricity from biomass sources (Kabutov, 2007).

Structure of Tajikistan’s Forest Area

The following table displays the biomass resource production and production density in Tajikistan. 

Tajikistan Biomass Resource Table

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The climatic conditions of Tajikistan are very favorable for using solar energy. There are 280-330 sunny days a year, and the intensity of total solar radiation varies within a year from 280 to 925 MJ/m² in piedmont regions, and from 360 to 1120 MJ/m² in highlands.  Utilization of available solar energy in Tajikistan could satisfy as much as 10-20 percent of national energy demands.  The estimated solar potential is about 25 billion kWh/year in Tajikistan.  A majority of the potential is not exploited; however, Tajikistan does utilize some of their solar resource for water heating purposes (Kabutov, 2007).

The tables below show the monthly and annual incidence of total solar radiation on a horizontal surface and of direct solar radiation on a surface normal to beams for two areas: Dushanbe (the capital) and meteorological station named after Academician Gorbunov. The first point characterizes a country’s part of the plains, while the second one, located at the Pamirs, is in a mountainous area.

Monthly and annual total solar radiation incident on horizontal surface, MJ/m²

Monthly and annual direct solar radiation incident on surface normal to sunlight beams, MJ/m²

The following maps display Tajikistan’s insolation values throughout the country.  A majority of the country has significant solar resource. 

Tajikistan Solar Direct Normal Insolation (Source: NASA)

Tajikistan Solar Global Horizontal Irradiance (Source: NASA)

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The geothermal resources are small and poorly studied in Tajikistan.  Data about using thermal waters are generally absent, though it is planned to use the thermal water in vicinity of Khodja-Obi-Garm.   It is estimated that Tajikistan could produce 45 billion kWh annually using geothermal energy sources (Kabutov, 2007).

Geothermal resources are concentrated in convective hydrothermal systems of Tien Shan foothills. Evaluation of the resources of one thermal water field was carried out:

·          Khodja-Obi-Garm; temperature 90 °C, TDS 0.5 g/l; total flow rate 280 l/s.

·          Total thermal water resources in Tajikistan has not been estimated and resources for electricity production have not been identified.

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Hydropower resources are abundant and evenly located over the territory of Tajikistan.  In terms of hydropower potential, Tajikistan is one of the world leaders.  Tajikistan’s hydroelectric potential is estimated at over 500 billion kWh of electricity per year (Kabutov, 2007).  Currently, 16.6 billion kW are produced, which is approximately 6 percent of their total potential (EIA, 2005).

Approximately 14 billion kW of electricity is being produced by hydroelectric power plants on the Vakhsh River; the plants have a total capacity of approximately 3,800 MW.  The largest facility on the Vakhsh is the Nurek hydroelectric plant, which has a capacity of 3,000 MWe.

A larger hydropower facility at Roghum (335 m tall) is under construction and will have a capacity of 3,600 MWe.  However, recent security problems as well as seismic concerns in the area have halted most progress (GlobalSecurity, 2005).

In November 2004, the Russian government endorsed an agreement with Tajikistan for participation in the construction of the Sangtuda 1, a 670 MW hydroelectric power station. The project was halted in 1989, but with the recent investment of $500 million from Russian companies, the last of the four facilities was unveiled on July 31, 2009.  This plant will eventually power around 12 percent of Tajikistan.  Sangtuda 2, a 220 MW hydroelectric plant, is currently under construction with its completion date set for 2010 (UN Economic and Social Committee, 2003).

The biggest hydropower plants in Tajikistan are: Nurek hydropower plant (height of dam is 300 m) with production capacity of 3,000 MW, Sangtuda 1 hydropower plant – 670 MW, Baipaza hydropower plant - 600 MW, Golovnaya HPP - 240 MW, Kayrakkum HPP - 126 MW. Small hydropower plants have big prospects, and at present their total capacity is about 115 MW.

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