Knowra Rogun Dam Rogun Dam Rogun Dam is a large hydroelectric dam under construction on Tajikistan’s Vakhsh River. Its planned embankment height would make it the world’s tallest dam.
Embankment dam : A dam formed primarily from compacted earth, rock, or both, rather than a solid concrete wall. Rogun is designed as a rock-fill embankment, with a central impervious core.
Soviet Union : A socialist federal state that existed from 1922 until its dissolution in 1991. Soviet planners initiated the Rogun project before Tajikistan became independent.
Barqi Tojik : Tajikistan’s state-owned electricity company, responsible for much of the country’s power generation and supply. The company is central to developing and operating Rogun’s generating capacity.
Three Gorges Dam : A large hydroelectric dam on China’s Yangtze River and the world’s largest power station by installed capacity. Its immense generating capacity offers a comparison, while Rogun is designed to exceed it in height.
Environmental impact assessment : A process for identifying and evaluating the likely environmental effects of a proposed project before approval or implementation. Assessments have examined Rogun’s risks and effects on the river basin.
Rock-fill dam : An embankment dam whose stability comes mainly from compacted rock, usually combined with an impermeable barrier. This is the dam type specified for Rogun’s immense structure.
Nurek Dam : A large hydroelectric dam on the Vakhsh River in Tajikistan, completed during the Soviet period. Rogun was planned upstream of Nurek as the next major step in developing the river’s hydropower.
Tajikistan energy crisis : Recurring electricity shortages in Tajikistan, especially during cold winters when heating demand rises. Rogun is promoted as a major source of domestic electricity that could reduce shortages.
Kakhovka Dam : A major dam on Ukraine’s Dnipro River, destroyed in 2023 during the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Its destruction illustrates how dam failure or deliberate damage can produce severe downstream consequences.
Resettlement : The organized relocation of people from their homes, often because of infrastructure or development projects. Rogun’s reservoir requires relocating communities in the area to be inundated.
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