Salome Steib, Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office in Tajikistan together with the Founder of Peace and National Unity – Leader of the Nation, the President of the Republic of Tajikistan, His Excellency Emomali Rahmon inaugurated a 110kV Substation in Khorog – one of the two newly constructed 110kV substations in Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshon, Tajikistan. The new high-capacity substations will play an essential role in improving efficiency and resilience of energy supply in the Pamir region. They will enable recovery of up to 2.5 MW energy losses during peak hours which will be used to provide a reliable supply of electricity to areas of growing demand within Viloyati Mukhtori Kuhistoni Badakhshon and cross-border areas of Afghanistan.

“It is quite symbolic that we are celebrating this breakthrough moment during the 30th anniversary of our country’s independence. The substations avail new opportunities for further reduction of losses, better and more reliable provision of electricity to population, increased resilience to climate change, better electricity export potential, and improved ability to supply clean and reliable electricity to more people, which would all ultimately lead to achieving our national strategic priority of reaching energy security. We would like to express our highest appreciation to the Swiss Government Federal Agency SECO for their cooperation with the Government of Tajikistan in enhancing VMKB power provision since the early 2000s. I would also like to thank Pamir Energy and the company’s founders for co-financing the project and congratulate the team for completing the construction works with high quality and before the cold season,” indicated Mr. Daler Juma, Minister of Energy and Water Resources of the Republic of Tajikistan.  

Improving the resilience of infrastructure services towards natural disasters and more broadly promoting sustainable urban development for climate-friendly economic growth is one of the focal areas of SECO’s economic development cooperation. Climate change impacts are increasingly becoming visible in Tajikistan and beyond. In particular in mountain environments, like the Pamir region, climate change related natural hazards pose a challenge to the reliable provision of basic infrastructure services like electricity and as a result to the sustainable development of communities and livelihoods.

"Over the last 20 years, Switzerland has provided continued assistance to Tajikistan, including Khorog city, in improving the reliable provision of basic infrastructure services. Improving the resilience of infrastructure services towards natural disasters and more broadly promoting sustainable urban development for climate-friendly economic growth is one of the focal areas of SECO’s economic development cooperation. Climate change impacts are increasingly becoming visible in Tajikistan and beyond. In particular in mountain environments, like the Pamir region, climate change related natural hazards pose a challenge to the reliable provision is a basic infrastructure services like electricity and as a result to the sustainable development of communities and livelihoods. The Pamir Private Power Project with its focus on increasing resilience of electricity provision is a unique and innovative example of SECO’s engagement in this area, in which Switzerland traditionally has a strong know-how due to its own topography. Ultimately, the project aims to contribute to sustainable development in the VMKB through the provision of reliable, affordable, and sustainable access to electricity supply", added Salome Steib, Director of  the Swiss Cooperation Office in Tajikistan.

The Pamir Private Power Project with its focus on increasing resilience of electricity provision is an example of SECO’s engagement in this area, in which Switzerland traditionally has a strong know-how due to its own topography. As a result of the Project, resilience and efficiency of energy supply in the Pamir Region will improve, both contributing to the long-term goal to improve living conditions and support economic development in the Pamir region through the provision of reliable, affordable and sustainable access to electricity supply.

Ultimately, the Government of Switzerland has invested in the Pamir Private Power Project Phase III (PPPP III) over US$ 9.85m for the period 2019-2023. This initiative is the continuation of the successful Swiss support to the Government of Tajikistan in developing new opportunities to improve the efficiency and reliable provision of electricity to the population, increase resilience to climate change and increase the supply of clean electricity to more people, which ultimately contributes to achieving the national strategic priority of reaching energy security.