Tajikistan: Cash Problems Halt Work at Russian-Backed Power Station

Work at the Sangtuda-1 hydroelectric power station has halted due to a lack of money. The massive Russian-funded facility was due to become fully operational on May 15 upon the completion of the fourth unit. A severe cash shortage, however, caused the completion date to be pushed back.

As of May 26, there are not even enough funds to buy "fuel and lubricants," the Russian news agency Itar-Tass reported.

Earlier this month, Russia's ambassador to Dushanbe, Yuri Popov, insisted the hold up was due to "technical issues" and not cash-flow problems.

Three of the four units at Sangtuda-1 are working. Construction resumed in 2005 after more than a 10-year-long hiatus attributed in part to Tajikistan's 1992-97 civil war. Tajikistan struggles with chronic power outages and unreliable energy supplies.