13.10.2020 | The Chinese company Sinohydro-Hydrochaina has started the modernization of unit No. 3 at the Sarband hydroelectric power station in the south of Tajikistan.
As reported to “Avesta” in the specified Chinese company, this is the fourth unit of the Sarband HPP, the modernization of which has begun by the company’s specialists.
“Currently, hydroelectric unit No. 3 has been completely dismantled, work is underway on a feasibility study, which may be completed as early as next week. All the equipment necessary for the modernization of the unit will be delivered from China, ”the source said.
According to him, according to the planned schedule, unit No. 3, after modernization, should be commissioned in October 2021. “After full commissioning, the capacity of the hydroelectric unit will reach 49 MW, instead of the previous 35 MW,” the source added.
He stressed that more than 50 local and Chinese specialists are currently working at the facility.
Let us remind you that on September 22 of this year, President of Tajikistan Emomali Rahmon put into operation hydroelectric units No. 2 with a capacity of 39 MW and No. 6 with a capacity of 49 MW at the Sarbad hydroelectric station.
Earlier it was reported that five of the six units of the Sarband hydroelectric power station should be reconstructed by 2022. After the reconstruction, the capacity of the hydroelectric power station will reach 270 MW, instead of the current 240 MW.
The ceremony of launching the first modernized unit (unit No. 5) of the Sarband (Golovnaya) hydroelectric power station on the Vakhsh River took place on November 7, 2018.
As the “Avesta” was informed in the company PowerChina (Sinohidro) – the contractor of the project, after the reconstruction the capacity of the unit No. 5 of the Sarband hydroelectric power station increased by 24 MW – from 25 MW to 49 MW.
Reconstruction of the Sarband HPP began in November 2016. Later, changes were made to the project for the modernization of the hydroelectric power station, according to which, instead of three, five hydroelectric units will be modernized.
The joint venture Sinohidro-Hydrochaina is replacing the units at the hydroelectric power station. On June 14 of this year, the corresponding contract was signed between the said company and the OJSC “Barki Tojik”.
The rehabilitation project of the Golovnaya HPP with a capacity of 240 MW is financed by a grant from the Asian Development Bank in the amount of $ 136 million. Earlier it was planned that the first, second and fifth hydroelectric units of the hydroelectric power station would be modernized. Also, as part of the modernization, it was planned to overhaul the third and sixth hydraulic units.
According to the energy sector, during the dismantling of Unit 5, the condition of the equipment turned out to be worse than expected. Since units # 3 and # 6 are of the same design and age, it can reasonably be assumed that replacing them may be preferable to assessing their condition and repairing them as originally determined.
In turn, Barki Tojik requested ADB for a minor change in the scope of the project in order to use the saved grant funds for the modernization of units 3 and 6. The project consists of two phases and will be completed in 2022.
Sarband hydroelectric power station was put into temporary operation as part of the construction of a cascade of hydroelectric power plants on the Vakhsh River in 1962, and in 1966 it was fully launched. Over the years of operation, the HPP has generated 50 billion kWh of electricity.
