Rising from the tremendous physical damage and human losses wrought by a prolonged civil war that followed the disintegration of the former Soviet Union, Tajikistan more than halved the poverty incidence from 83% in 1999 to 41% in 2007. Its economy had grown substantially, with real gross domestic product expanding at an annual average of 7.5% in 2006−2008. Despite these gains, it remained among the poorest countries in the world, with a per capita of $337.5 in 2005, around 3 years before this project’s appraisal.
The Government of Tajikistan identified increasing the poor’s access to electricity as a key issue that must be addressed in its 2002 poverty reduction strategy paper. It also recognized the urgent need to rehabilitate the country’s energy infrastructure then in a serious state of disrepair. Reconstruction of the Nurek hydroelectric power plant (NHEPP) switchyard was a top priority to prevent the loss of major electric power output for domestic and export markets. Consequently, in August 2008, the government signed (i) a grant agreement with the
Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the Nurek 500-kilovolt (kV) Switchyard Reconstruction Project, and (ii) a loan agreement with the Kreditanstalt für Wiederaufbau (KfW) for a new 220 kV gas-insulated switchgear (GIS). The project’s envisaged impact was to provide sustainable and reliable electricity supply for economic development support. Once implemented, it would mitigate the risk of natural disasters disabling the switchyard and stabilize the NHEPP electricity flow. The intended outcome was the reliable evacuation of NHEPP electricity to the grid. The planned output was a new 500 kV GIS, located at a secure place and reliably connected to NHEPP and the grid.
However, several factors delayed project completion. Grant signing and effectiveness took 4 months because of the lengthy government approval process. Procurement of consulting services was delayed by 2.5 months and the turnkey contract, by 5 months. Unforeseen circumstances, including NHEPP shutdowns and system emergencies, cement supply interruptions, and severe winter conditions, along with weak contractor performance, impeded civil works completion. Late completion of the associated Nurek 220 kV switchyard project and additional works to install 3 overhead line towers to improve the operational reliability of the new GIS further held back final output delivery. Delays could have been more if the project completion date was extended to accommodate another additional scope, the replacement of the generator transformer, new hardware for which arrived only in September 2017.
Notwithstanding an overall delay of 2.5 years, the project was rated successful for having substantially achieved its planned output and outcome within the planned budget. At completion, it was found to have played a critical role in meeting Tajikistan’s winter demand and allowing the country to export considerable surplus energy thereby carrying forward government’s goals of sustained economic growth and poverty reduction.
The Barki Tojik Open Joint Stock Holding Company, a 100% state-owned company, was the executing agency. A project management unit, under the President’s office, was the implementing agency.
