Tajikistan: Reconnection to the Central Asian Power System Project

Energy / Electricity transmission and distribution

In April 2018, Tajikistan started to export power to Uzbekistan on an islanded mode. However, in order to synchronize the systems and achieve power trade target, the relay protection system in Tajikistan has to be modernized and new interconnection points established. The project will: (i) install modern relays, circuit breakers, instrumental transformers and ancillary equipment and systems at eight 220kV and two 500kV interconnection points; (ii) establish two new 500kV interconnections; and, (iii) provide capacity building to Barki Tojik staff in reliability of parallel operations.

These solutions will result in the following outcome: regional energy resource utilization among CAPS countries improved.

The Central Asian republics are endowed with significant energy related natural resources, however, the distribution of these is highly skewed. The Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan have abundant hydro resources, while in contrast Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan are rich with fossil fuels. During the Soviet Union era these resources were managed at the regional level. Energy systems were designed to take into account the location of various energy sources and needs of entire region. The hydropower resources in Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan were operated primarily as an irrigation systems with power generation being secondary. Energy and water infrastructure, inherited by these countries, implicitly contemplated energy and water transfer across administrative boundaries that later have become national borders.

However, the obsolete infrastructure systems in Tajikistan left from the former Soviet Union era that has neither been properly maintained nor replaced, especially during the civil war. This significantly deteriorated the reliability of the protection systems, which is one of the key elements for the parallel operation of the power systems. For the lack of sufficient infrastructure, the Tajikistan system has not been reconnected to the Central Asia Power System (CAPS) since its disconnection in 2009.

In 2017, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan started working together to interconnect the electricity systems. In early 2018, the governments of both countries signed the Memorandum of Understanding according to which Tajikistan will start to exports summer surplus power to Uzbekistan. Initially, vertically integrated state power utility JSC Barki Tojik will start exporting 1.5 TWh on islanded mode in Uzbekistan (asynchronous operation) and after achieving full parallel operation, the export volume will increase to 5 TWh. This project will provide the infrastructure necessary for achieving full parallel operation of the two systems.

Tajikistan and Uzbekistan electricity grids synchronized

Interconnection between Tajikistan and Uzbekistan expanded

Capacity in Tajikistan for stable parallel operation improved

Target deferred to 2022. IFB for EPC contract issued in June 2020, and bids opened in Sep. Contract signing in Q4 2020, and commissioning in Q3 2022.

The EPC contractor will train the PMU, in coordination with the PIC.

Target deferred to 2022. IFB for EPC contract issued in June 2020, with bids opened in Sep. Contract signing will be in Q4 2020, and commissioning in Q3 2022.

Target deferred to 2022. IFB for EPC contract issued in June 2020, with bid opened in Aug. Contract signing will be in Q4 2020, and commissioning in Q3 2022.