Imported Electricity from Uzbekistan to Kabul Still Not Restored
Several days after the interruption of imported electricity from Uzbekistan, Afghanistan’s electricity company, operating under Taliban administration, has announced that technical and safety conditions have yet to be met to repair the damaged transmission line and restore power to Kabul and ten other provinces.
According to the company’s information, the electricity imported from Uzbekistan was completely cut off on Thursday, January 21, causing severe power shortages in large parts of Kabul and its neighboring provinces.
The electricity company stated that a severe storm and avalanche in the Shaol area of northern Salang damaged a 220-kilovolt transmission tower on the Pul-e-Khumri–Kabul line, resulting in one of the imported electricity circuits from Uzbekistan ceasing operation.
The agency added that the risk of natural incidents such as storms and avalanches still exists in the same area, preventing technical teams from beginning repair work. The electricity company emphasized that efforts to restore power will commence as soon as conditions improve.
Meanwhile, the company reported that the electricity supply for Kabul city and some neighboring provinces currently comes from the Pul-e-Khumri–Kabul transmission line, hydroelectric power stations, thermal generators, and solar systems; sources which experts say do not fully meet the needs of residents in these areas.
The prolonged power outage has once again highlighted weaknesses in the management of critical infrastructure under Taliban rule, and residents of Kabul and affected provinces are demanding urgent and transparent action to resolve this crisis.
