The World Bank has approved a $350 million International Development Association grant to support the completion of the Rogun Hydropower Plant (HPP) Project in Tajikistan. This initiative is part of a broader program aimed at improving access to electricity for approximately 10 million people in Tajikistan and addressing persistent winter power shortages. The project, with an installed capacity of 3,780 Megawatts, will also export around 70 percent of its generated electricity to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, replacing fossil fuel generation and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Antonella Bassani, World Bank Vice-President for Europe and Central Asia, emphasized the project's potential impact: “The Rogun Hydropower Project can help Tajikistan and countries in Central Asia to accelerate their path to adopting clean energy, boost economic growth, and enhance climate resilience.”
To ensure adherence to international standards, enhanced supervision arrangements will be implemented throughout the project's development. The Government of Tajikistan has pledged that 3 percent of electricity sales will fund a nationwide Benefit Sharing Program during construction. This allocation will increase to 5 percent post-construction, supporting social safety nets for vulnerable populations.
The total cost for completing the Rogun HPP is estimated at $6.29 billion. Funding will come from project revenues, domestic resources, and contributions from development partners such as the Asian Development Bank (ADB), European Investment Bank (EIB), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), among others.
Charles Cormier, World Bank Director for Infrastructure in Europe and Central Asia, highlighted the regional significance: “Rogun HPP is an important regional project... Once completed, it will promote the development of a regional electricity market and enhance regional cooperation on energy.”
Additionally, Rogun HPP aims to strengthen water security and climate resilience by utilizing reservoir storage capacity to protect downstream projects from extreme flooding.