Project Detail

Demonstrate alternative energy supply to local community trough construction of mini-Hydro-power station

Small villages and hamlets located in remote districts experience severe hardships with electricity supply during cold spells. Insufficient electricity production in the country, leads to limited electricity supply to rural population (except capital and GBAO) during winter periods (4-5 hours/ day). Unavailability of electricity forced local people to seek for local alternative supplies for heating and cooking needs. They use fair-wood, coal, fuel, etc. As a result, emission of carbon-dioxide gas in open air is increased and neglected. This greatly impacted to the increase of risks for occurrences of respiratory diseases among local population, in particularly women and children. The demand for alternative supplies in the rural areas in winter is so high and sometimes not enough and, or at affordable price. This pushed local community to cutoff trees and bush-plants on hills and mountain slopes thereby increased the risks of natural disasters, landslides and flashfloods, as well as loss of biodiversity.
One of the accessible alternatives is a small-capacity fuel generator (Chinese), producing electricity in little quantities. In average, a family using such device is to spent some TJS 150-200 (or $45) per month, in winter, to purchase fuel, which is additional burden on a family budget. The prevailed very low living condition turned more down due to no electricity supply. The local people are in informational isolation which contributes to the decrease of civic awareness and education levels. The project is envisaged construction of mini-Hydro power station and supply of electricity to some 2,729 community residents of two villages of Chashmasor jamoat/ commune of Faizobod district.

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Project Snapshot

Grantee:

NGO 'Binokor'

Country:

Tajikistan

Area Of Work:

Climate Change Mitigation
Climate Change Mitigation

Operational Phase:

OP4 - Y3 (Jul 09 - Jun 10)

Grant Amount:

US$ 15,000.00

Co-Financing Cash:

US$ 10,600.00

Co-Financing in-Kind:

US$ 18,500.00

Project Number:

TJK/SGP/OP4/Y3/CORE/2010/07

Start Date:

6/2010

End Date:

6/2011

Status:

Satisfactorily Completed

Project Characteristics and Results

Policy Impact

Constructed mini HPS ?Chashmasor-2? will continue its functioning and supplying ecological clean electricity to local population. The local community residents are very much interested in sustainable operation and maintenance of HPS and therefore are willing and ready to commit their time and resources, contribute and participate in project activities from vey inception. This increases the sense of stewardship and ownership among them. It is estimated that the HPS of a similar capacity can operate for above 20-30 years. The risk of dry-out of Elok river, a feeding canal, are very low as it founds beginning from the mountain rivers and aged glaciers located high in mountains. The construction of mini-HPS is abreast with Presidential decree on rational use of the alternative and renewable energy supplies of rural population and meeting the objectives of the national strategy on 'energy independency' through promotion of the small and renewable energy supplies.

Emphasis on Sustainable Livelihoods

In the past, the local community had no access to alternative or renewable energy sources. They used high-energy consuming technologies (diesel generators, etc), which were not envrionmentally friendly and the level of CO2 emissions were very high. Today, the local community have access to clean and renewable energy supply, which in comparison to the previous diesel generators is low-costly. Nowadays, each family is to pay $3 per month for electricy supply from mini-HPS, while for state supply they usually pay 10 times more, and during the cold spells the supply is totally cutt off for 4 months.

Significant Participation of Indigenous Peoples

It is expected that reliable operation of the system after completion will improve the living condition of the local community residents and promote revival of local economy. The community residents, social infrastructures (schools, hospital, etc) and small enterprises will be provided with dependable electricity supply. Electricity supply in target area enables some 200 rural people, employees of local organizations, secure their jobs and be self-employed.

Notable Community Participation

More than 2,000 persons or 200 households of 4 villages of Chashmasor commune (jamoat) directly benefitef from the project. The local community actively participated and contributed in planning, construction and mounting works at the project. In-cash they contributed some US$ 6,600 (150 families/ HHs * $44) and US$ 3,500 (100 HHs * $35) = US$ 10,100 for procurement of electric device, and installation of poles, wires, and other devices, etc. Some $16,900 were made in-kind contribution that included free labor during construction of 640 m length of water supply channel; procurement and installation of electric poles; local government contribution is allocation and certification of land for construction of Hydro-power station.

Capacity - Building Component

The mini-Hydro power station in Chashmasor jamoat improved supply of chep and clean energy to local community residents. Thanks to the project, the local community were able to watch TV, listen to the radio and let the schoolchildren to do their homework, while in the past this was not possible due to no power supply on public grid. Connected to mini-HPS households were able to save funds of family budgets since the energy produced by the mini-HPS is rather cheaper than state supply. In addition, the local community themseves participated in construction works of mini-HPS and now are well aware and possess necessary technical and construction skills/ knowledge that allow them to assemble new mini-HPS in other villages, that lack of cheap and renewable energy supply. The gained knowledge and skills inculcated to other communities live nearby in order to replicate similar projects. Upon completion, the Hydro-power station will be officially handed over to local governance state authority (Jamoat), however. The responsibilities for operation and maintenance (O&M) of the infrastructure will be then taken over by NGO ?Binokor? based on the rent agreement reached between owner and operator. The NGO has necessary experiences and technical skills to operate and maintain infrastructure;

Gender Focus

The project supply energy to rural households where both men and women equally benefit. Besides, the energy supplied by min-HPS is also used for cooking where the loadwork for women in the family is reduced.

Promoting Public Awareness of Global Environment

Under the project, number of civic awareness campaings organized where more than 2,000 people of target areas particpated. The key areas of discussion were conservation of biodiversity, land degradation and climate change mitigation by reducing deforestation in the target areas. Some 300 leaflets and brochures were published and distributed among local community in native languages, from where local community also learnt about funding agency, mini-HPS, requiremetns and penalties, in case of misusing energy, biodiversity conservation, land degradation and climate chage. In addition, the articles about community-based mini-HPS were published in the local and national newspapers, as well one TV reel were broadcasted through national TV stations.

Inovative Financial Mechanisms

the NGO will maintain the newly constructed HPS ?Chashmasor-2?, collect fees from local users and undertake future operation and maintenance of the system. Collection of fees from local community residents will be assisted by sister organization ?Chashmasor? that is formed under umbrella of NGO ?Binokor?. The sister organization consists of 3 persons, one men and 2 women, community residents of Chashmasor village. In addition, 2 persons/ operators, on a salary basis, will be hired by NGO to ensure proper operation of HPS and security of the equipment and facilities after completion. The committee and NGO will be accountable and regularly submit reports to state authority, community residents and GEF SGP about HPS status. The profited income from a rent will be used by owner for development needs of the targeted community, i.e. infrastructure rehabilitation, social services improvement, etc.

Project Results

Carried out survey assessment should determine risks related with environment, such as possible deterioration of drainage channel, as well as use of ecological friendly construction materials, water flowing capacity of Elok River, etc. The assessment involved 3 persons/ NGO specialists;
The number and areas of placement of electric poles within distribution networks identified and recorded in technical documents. 10 persons, community residents, are engaged in installation works of poles and wires; 640 m length water drainage channel constructed;
house premise (16m2) constructed for placement of 40kWt capacity Hydro-power station ?Chashmasor-2?; all necessary electricity equipment installed; 205 persons engaged in the temporarily work.
Local population/ USERS paid monthly fees as per tariffs set up in the agreements;
Above 200 families or above 2,000 persons, community residents, of four villages accessed electricity in winter period, including 100 families (or 1,347 persons) of Bunkagiyon village;
Small enterprises benefited from hydro power stations in summer time;
At least EE equipments installed and applied in one family-household of target area;
The tree cutting and deforestation decreased, reducing CO emission;
The local community is no longer committed their disproportionate funds to purchase fair-wood, coal and fuel for lighting, heating and cooking needs;
Reconstructed new drainage channel enhanced supply capacity of another 40kWt capacity Hydro-power station: ?Chashmasor-1?, located at 60 m distances upstream;
The level of education and awareness among local people on EE equipments increased and its applications replicated in other family-households;

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