Pamir Energy Company is one of the international finalists for the prestigious Ashden Award.
The 2017 Ashden Award judges have reportedly narrowed down the finalists for this year’s Awards to 22 impressive organizations, covering what they consider to be the best in sustainable energy around the world.
International finalists are truly global, with projects in Tajikistan, Nepal, Lesotho, East Africa, West Africa, India, China and Malaysia that are supporting best practice in sustainable buildings, clean energy for women and girls, innovative finance, clean energy and water, powering business and sustainable travel.
The following are international finalists: Africa Clean Energy, Ampere Vehicles, Angaza Design, Ecolibirium, Empower Generation, Futurepump, GPS Renewables, Haileybury Youth Trust, Hangzhou Bicycles, Mobisol, Pamir Energy, PEG Africa, SunCulture, and T.R Hamzah & Yeang Sdn. Bhd.
Winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony at the Royal Geographical Society in London on June 15. They will receive a financial award of up to 20,000 pounds sterling, along with tailored support and other help to promote their work.
Following the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 and a five-year civil war, Tajikistan’s electrical infrastructure required major investment. Among the most affected areas was the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO), where people and economic development suffered during the cold winter months.
The Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development (AKFED), in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), formed the Pamir Energy Company in 2002 to address the situation.
Pamir Energy is a joint project of the government of Tajikistan, AKFED, IFC, and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC). The total cost of the project is some $26.5 million, including the Tajik government’s contribution of $10 million.
The project was designed as a public-private partnership between the government of Tajikistan, the World Bank Group, and the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development.
The company has a 25-year concession on the assets formerly under the management on Barqi Tojik (Tajik electricity supplier) in GBAO. In exchange for this concession (management right), Pamir Energy has invested in completing the Pamir hydropower station, rehabilitating power generation, transmission and distribution assets, and improving the management of the company.
The Pamir Private Power Project has helped to enhance development and improve welfare in GBAO by providing reliable, affordable, and clean electricity. (News.tj/Business World Magazine)