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Switzerland continues its support of mountainous communities in Tajikistan towards resilient and efficient energy supply in the Pamirs

Local news, 13.12.2019

As part of its Cooperation Agreement with the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) recently signed an agreement committing USD 9.55 million towards optimizing and building climate resilient and sustainable energy systems in Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshan (VMKB), a mountainous and remote area of Tajikistan that is home to 227,000 people. Tajikistan and VMKB are among the regions most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

Walburga Roos, Head of the Swiss Cooperation Office in Tajikistan and Daler Jumaev, General Director of the Pamir Energy signing the agreement.
Walburga Roos, Head of the Swiss Cooperation Office in Tajikistan and Daler Jumaev, General Director of the Pamir Energy signing the agreement. ©SCO Tajikistan

These funds form the financial basis of the Pamir Private Power Project Phase III (PPPP III), a project that builds on previous work to address energy challenges in the Pamir mountains region by the Swiss and Tajik Governments in cooperation with the Aga Khan Development Network through its subsidiary Pamir Energy Company.

Through the collaboration and partnership between the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan and the Government of Switzerland, PPPP III aims to invest in the long-term sustainability and resilience of Pamir Energy’s infrastructure and operations as it aims to provide reliable, clean, and affordable energy to the communities of VMKB.

PPPP III will help reduce the risk of adverse impacts of climate change and natural disasters on Pamir Energy’s infrastructure, improve energy efficiency of its operations and its capacity to manage peak demands with the aim of improving the overall performance and quality of Pamir Energy’s service, and with it, the conditions for living and economic development in this mountainous province.

Quote by SECO “The Pamir region is increasingly facing challenges related to climate change,” remarked Walburga Roos, Head of Swiss Cooperation Office, Tajikistan. “This project continues the partnership with Pamir Energy with the aim to increase the company’s capacity to operate its assets efficient and resilient. This will contribute to a reliable and affordable provision of electricity, a basic requirement for sustainable economic development.”

“Given the physical and climate challenges of VMKB, our partnership with SECO is vital for the sustainability of basic infrastructure in the region,” remarked Daler Jumaev, General Director of Pamir Energy. “SECO has been with Pamir Energy since its inception, and we are incredibly grateful for their support as well as that of the Government of Tajikistan.”

One of the key components of the PPPP III will be to support the efficient and resilient evacuation of electricity from the planned Sebzor 11 MW hydropower plant through the planned 110kV line into the main grid of VMKB, towards which the EU recently committed 20 million euros. The EU joins a consortium of donors collaborating towards the improved provision of clean energy that includes Germany’s BMZ, USAID, and the World Bank as well. The project ensures that standards for infrastructure continue to be set high, serving as an example for the rest of the region.

Source of the information: Pamir Energy 

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SECO is the Swiss Confederation’s centre of expertise for all core economic policy issues, including economic cooperation and development. Its mandate is to enable sustainable and inclusive growth in its partner countries. “Inclusive” means that all segments of the population prosper from such growth, and “sustainable” means that it does not compromise the well-being of future generations.

Pamir Energy

Since its inception in 2002 as the first Public Private Partnership (PPP) in Central Asia, Pamir Energy (PE), an integrated utility country operating under a 25-year concession agreement with the Government of the Republic of Tajikistan, has restored 11 hydropower plants (HPP) to increase generation capacity in VMKB to 44MW. PE has upgraded 4,300 km of transmission and distribution facilities in Eastern Tajikistan. Throughout its 16 years of operation, PE has significantly increased energy availability for 218,000 people (96% of the total population of VMKB) in Eastern Tajikistan with plans underway to electrify the remaining 4%. PE has been recognized a top PPP globally numerous times by the United Nations Economic Council for Europe (2009 and 2016) and won the prestigious Ashden Award in the category of “Access to electricity”, specifically with regards to rural electrification, in 2017.

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Last update 03.11.2023