The World Bank has published a procurement plan for a 15 million USD technical assistance program running until 2031 to help Tajikistan secure investment for its Rogun hydropower project. The funding aims to establish the financial, commercial, and environmental frameworks required to attract a larger pool of international investors to complete the plant.
Located on the Vakhsh River upstream from the Nurek reservoir, approximately 110 kilometers east of Dushanbe, the Rogun plant is designed to feature a 335-meter-high dam and an installed capacity of 3,780 megawatts. Tajik authorities intend for the facility to eliminate domestic energy shortages and enable electricity exports to neighboring Central Asian countries. The project is also expected to help diversify the national economy, which currently depends heavily on raw materials and remittances from migrant workers.
The largest portion of the program, totaling 6.3 million USD, will be spent on dam safety. This allocation will fund an international panel of experts to conduct independent design audits and supervise construction quality. Another 5.2 million USD is designated to bring the environmental and social standards of the construction site into alignment with World Bank guidelines, including contractor management plans and community benefit-sharing programs.
Commercial development of the project will receive 2 million USD. Consultants will update the construction schedule to reflect current macroeconomic conditions, prepare a financial model, and assist the Tajik government in negotiating long-term power purchase agreements. The remaining 1.5 million USD will fund institutional capacity building, which includes training Tajik specialists in international administration and purchasing office equipment.
While most contracts will be awarded through competitive bidding, the plan allows for direct contracting with companies already working on the project. These include Tractebel-ELC, a French-Italian joint venture managing technical supervision, and the United Arab Emirates-based consultancy Poweren Consulting, which provides energy market analysis.
