The electricity import project codenamed CASA-1000 (Central Asia-South Asia) is in the doldrums as the World Bank, the most critical catalyst in the project backed by Washington so far, has reportedly requested the Tajik government to review progress of Rogun dam''s environmental assessment studies and its impact on the drying Aral Sea, informed sources told Business Recorder.
Last week, President Asif Ali Zardari, who was in Dushanbe representing Pakistan in quadrilateral Summit, discussed progress on CASA-1000 with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Tajik President Emomali Rakhmon individually. Russian President, Dmitry Medvedev, who was present for the quadrilateral talks, urged Afghanistan and Pakistan to expedite work on energy projects including CASA-1000. He maintained that it is time to move from words to deeds on CASA-1000.
The CASA-1000 project is based on under-construction Rogun Dam, on trans-boundary Vakhsh River in southern Tajikistan. The world''s tallest dam at a height of 1,099 ft, with a storage capacity of 12 MAF and generation capacity of 3,600mw was first proposed in 1959 and a technical scheme was developed by 1965.
Construction on the project began in 1976. However, work ceased after the collapse of the Soviet Union. An agreement on finishing the construction was signed between Tajikistan and Russia in 1994 however the agreement was not implemented. Russia had shown an interest in funding the project in 2004, but withdrew the offer in 2007. Tajikistan then requested the World Bank for technical and financial help. The World Bank remained very active for many years but it has raised environmental issues. Earlier, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) backed out from the project on the plea that it''s not feasible in the prevalent situation in Afghanistan.
"Just one week ago the World Bank halted the project and asked Tajik government to review progress of Rogun dam environmental assessment studies and its impact on drying of Aral Sea," one of the power sector analysts, Arshad Abbasi told Business Recorder. Last month an Afghan team negotiating with Tajik government recommended against the project.
"The project is not viable because of various technical, strategically and financial flaws, "commented Abbasi. The ministry''s adviser, a close relative of former minister for water and power and supporter of CASA-1000 has reportedly been blocking the government moves to develop hydropower projects for the past 10 years so that CASA remains an attractive project.
The 3rd IGC meeting was held in August 2008 in Islamabad wherein an IGA was signed by the relevant Ministers from Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and Tajikistan for development of CASA-1000 mw power transmission project and for further development of a Central Asia-South Asia Regional electricity market.