Tajikistan: the world’s tallest dam will change the region’s energy balance

The balance of Central Asia’s energy policies also depends on the future of a hydropower project. The Rogun Dam, currently under construction in Tajikistan, is set to become the world’s tallest dam and could reshape the Central Asian region’s energy supply dynamics in this highly strategic area, particularly in light of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.

This hydroelectric dam will become a hydropower giant with an installed capacity of 3,600 MW, equivalent to three nuclear reactors. It represents not only Tajikistan’s gateway to energy independence but also a bargaining tool for energy trade policies with neighboring Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, which are ready to exchange gas for electricity.

As the world watches with interest and concern both the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the future of Russian gas supplies transiting through the latter, Rogun lights up a bright spot on the global energy map.

It is no coincidence that by the end of 2024, the project has a refinancing program in place for nearly $3 billion from numerous international institutions. Among the supporters looking to provide new resources to the Tajikistan government are the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the European Investment Bank, and the Islamic Development Bank.

One of the investment’s key prospects is that, once completed, the Rogun Dam will allow Tajikistan to export about 70% of the energy produced by the plant to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. In return, the country will receive valuable gas supplies, especially during the winter months when energy demand is highest.

“The Rogun Dam is already a national symbol and a message from a country striving for energy independence.” This is how Artemy Kalinovsky, professor of History and Political Science at Temple University, described the significance and importance of this unique infrastructure project to the Wall Street Journal.

The Rogun Dam, built by the Webuild Group in collaboration with OSJC “Rogun Hydropower Project” (the Tajik government-controlled company overseeing the project), is a 335-meter-high rockfill dam with a clay core. It is located on the Vakhsh River, harnessing its icy and powerful waters which are fed by the melting snow in Central Asian region.

The river’s immense potential is fully exploited through its diversion into two underground tunnels, allowing the dam’s foundation to remain dry. The artificial reservoir created by the plant will hold 79 million cubic meters of water, with a crest length of 800 meters.

This project is as grand as it is complex: the dam’s core foundation is divided into eight blocks, each measuring between 20 and 25 meters in length, for a total length of 180 meters and a width of 120 meters from bank to bank. Approximately 290,000 cubic meters of rolled and compacted concrete have been used in its construction.

One of the innovative solutions applied to the project is the Flying Belt System, which is part of a major conveyor belt system spanning 8 km. This transport system enhances operational efficiency by ensuring a fast and sustainable movement of materials. Positioned on the left bank of the downstream area of the dam, it features a high-capacity suspended conveyor belt, secured by 65-mm steel cables and anchored to two loading and unloading stations at its ends.

The Flying Belt System has a total length of 650 meters, a transport capacity of 3,000 tons per hour and a significantly impact for reducing CO₂ emissions.

Tajikistan is the smallest country in Central Asia, with a population of 10.3 million spread across 143,000 square kilometers. In recent years, it has experienced sustained growth, particularly in the mining and manufacturing sectors, partly fueled by the massive hydropower project.

Currently, two of the six planned turbines at the hydroelectric plant are operational, but the true impact of the project will be felt once construction is complete. At full capacity, the Rogun Dam will double Tajikistan’s energy production, providing power for 10 million people in a country where approximately 70% of the population faces energy shortages, especially during winter.

Beyond its energy impact and regional geopolitical significance, the Rogun Dam will also enhance Tajikistan’s sustainability performance. Hydropower is already the country’s primary energy source, accounting for 62% of its electricity generation. Expanding this sector will further increase clean energy production in a region long dominated by fossil fuels.