Tajikistan raises Rogun dam to 1,155 meters ahead of schedule

Tajikistan has raised the dam of the Rogun Hydropower Plant to 1,155 meters above sea level ahead of schedule, President Emomali Rahmon was informed during a visit to the project, as construction continues toward the structure's planned height of 335 meters.

Rahmon inspected progress on the dam and on the area around Transport Tunnel No. 9, which leads to the facility. Information presented during the visit stated that the completed dam will reach 335 meters, making it the world's highest rockfill dam.

The dam will measure 1,800 meters wide at its base and 612 meters at the top, with a crest 20 meters wide. Builders plan to place a total of 79 million cubic meters of material in the structure.

Construction was initially carried out up to an elevation of 1,050 meters above sea level. Work completed to date includes the dam core foundation, which used 293,446 cubic meters of compacted concrete; cement grouting of the core foundation, which required the drilling of 3,359 wells; and an anti-filtration curtain installed using 125 wells ranging from 44 to 149 meters deep.

At an earlier meeting with Rogun engineers and construction workers, Rahmon instructed that the dam be raised to 1,155 meters in 2026 and that the reservoir water level reach 1,140 meters. Project officials said the dam has now passed the 1,155-meter mark ahead of the established schedule, and that work is expected to bring the reservoir to 1,140 meters in the near term.

Speaking with the plant's engineering and technical staff, the president said construction quality and compliance with international standards must remain the top priorities, citing the project's long-term importance.

Capacity and workforce

Tajikistan treats Rogun as a strategic energy project intended to reduce chronic winter electricity shortages while generating surplus power for export to Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. The completed plant is expected to have about 3,780 MW of capacity and to become one of Central Asia's largest sources of renewable electricity.

More than 20,000 workers and engineering specialists are currently involved in construction, supported by roughly 4,000 units of machinery and equipment.

Rogun backed by $2.5bn in international financing agreements

The Tajik government allocated TJS 8.1 billion ($876.4 million) from the state budget for construction at the plant in 2025 and plans TJS 11.4 billion ($1.23 billion) for 2026. During the first seven months of this year, TJS 8.4 billion ($908.8 million) went to construction and installation works. Since 2008, total government and other financing for construction and rehabilitation has reached TJS 60.3 billion ($6.52 billion).

Grant agreements with the World Bank for the first two stages total $650 million. Tajikistan has also signed loan and grant agreements worth more than $1.9 billion with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the Islamic Development Bank and other international financial institutions and development partners.

Next milestones

By 2027, the government plans to raise the dam to 1,185 meters above sea level and maintain the reservoir at no less than 1,165 meters, with the stated goal of strengthening Tajikistan's energy independence.

A further milestone concerns Rogun's fourth generating unit. Its permanent runner is expected to arrive at the plant in late September 2026, and replacing temporary runners on two units is expected to bring their combined generating capacity to 600 MW during the autumn-winter period. Commissioning of the fourth unit is targeted for September 2027.