Brussels, 12/06/2015 (Agence Europe) - The European Investment Bank (EIB) has announced a loan of €70 million to Tajikistan to fund the construction of an electricity power transmission line of 477 km and a capacity of 500 kV to interconnect the electricity networks of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. This loan will also be used to support the construction of a 120 km line to strengthen the internal backbone network of Tajikistan.
The project is part of a regional initiative for electricity transmission and trade between four countries - Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan and Pakistan - in central Asia. It aims to develop the conditions for the sustainable trade in renewable electricity from hydroelectric resources in the countries in question, alleviate shortages of power supply in these countries and enhance export revenues in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, the EIB explains. (Emmanuel Hagry)