Dushanbe, Tajikistan, November 11, 2020 – The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) representatives participated in an inaugural ceremony for the new 220-kilowatt Murghob solar power plant, which will be the largest solar power plant in Tajikistan and the highest solar power plant, by elevation, in the world. The project also includes a hybrid energy storage power plant rated for 180-kilowatt hours.

The new solar plant is a direct result of successful cooperation between the Government of Tajikistan, USAID, and Pamir Energy. At request of the Tajik Ministry of Energy and Water Resources, USAID supported the installation of the solar plant in Murghob to complement the nearby 1.5 megawatt ‘Tajikistan’ (formerly Aksu) hydropower plant and add additional clean, renewable energy to the local grid. 

The town of Murghob, in the Pamir region, is among the highest elevation inhabited areas in the world. More than 6,000 people have been isolated from Pamir Energy’s supply range and the national electricity grid because of the challenging terrain at an altitude of 3,600 meters. The Murghob solar plant will increase available daytime electricity by 50 percent. This will not only greatly increase the quality of life for the community but will also help the overall economic development in the region.

USAID is helping Tajikistan meet its clean energy goals while also providing sustainable power to remote communities and building the capacity of Tajik energy utility companies to construct and manage renewable energy power plants.

Through the implementation of this solar power plant pilot project, USAID is demonstrating how national governments, international donor organizations, and the private sector can jointly solve development challenges even in remote and isolated areas of the world.

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USAID is the world’s premier international development agency and a catalytic actor driving development results. To learn more, visit: https://www.usaid.gov/tajikistan. For more on USAID’s Power the Future program, visit: https://www.usaid.gov/central-asia-regional/fact-sheets/power-future-fact-sheet.