Afghanistan Signs Contract for Five Power Projects with 845 MW Capacity
Afghanistan’s electricity company, Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), announced the signing of a contract with Azizi Company for the implementation of five major power generation projects with a combined capacity of 845 megawatts. According to officials, the total capacity of these projects is equivalent to the country’s imported electricity.
Mullah Abdul Haq Hamkar, head of DABS, stated at the contract signing ceremony that these projects will produce approximately 3.7 million megawatt-hours of electricity annually. He added that the realization of these projects could reduce Afghanistan’s dependence on imported electricity.
Based on the information provided, these projects include the production of 100 megawatts of solar power in Naghlo, Kabul; 100 megawatts of solar power in the Barikab area of Parwan province; and 130 megawatts of solar power in Ghazni province. Additionally, two coal-fired thermal power generation projects are part of the package, one with a capacity of 350 megawatts in Baghlan and another with 165 megawatts in Takhar.
The total estimated value of these projects is approximately 463 million US dollars, to be financed and implemented by Azizi Company. Officials indicated that the solar power projects will be completed within two years, while the coal-based thermal power projects will be finished within two and a half years.
While the Taliban administration hails these contracts as an important step towards energy self-sufficiency, experts consistently stress the need for transparency in the contracting process, adherence to environmental standards in the coal projects, and close monitoring of their implementation. These issues have been among the major challenges faced by Afghanistan’s energy sector in recent years.
