Tajiks set for 24-hour blackout

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People in the Central Asian nation of Tajikistan will be without power for 24 hours because of construction work on a huge hydroelectric project.

Engineers used explosives to divert the Vakash River into two concrete tunnels so that work can begin on a dam for the new Sangtuda power station.

This will temporarily reduce production from the Nurek plant downstream, which supplies 70% of the country's power.

Only key sites will have power for the outage, which starts at 2300 (1800GMT).

Hospitals, government offices and military buildings will retain their electricity supply during the 24-hour period, a spokesman for the energy ministry said.

The Sangtuda power station is a joint project between the Tajik government and Russia's Unified Energy Systems.

It will have a capacity of 670MW when it becomes operational in 2009.

It is hoped that the project will help end energy shortages in the impoverished former Soviet nation.

"(The plant) will help Tajikistan cover its domestic energy deficit," Tajik President Emomali Rakhmonov said at a ceremony to mark the start of the work.