Severe Electricity Shortage in Badakhshan; Residents Call for Utilization of Kokcha and Amu River Waters

Badakhshan province, despite its significant water resources including the Kokcha and Amu rivers, has been grappling with a severe electricity shortage for years. Residents of the provincial center and its districts say the lack of stable electricity has severely disrupted their daily lives and economic activities.

Some residents are urging the Taliban administration to effectively harness the province’s flowing water resources to generate electricity. They say that although Badakhshan has considerable natural capacity, poor planning and lack of investment have left these potentials untapped.

Experts also emphasize that the proper utilization of water resources is the only fundamental solution to end the electricity shortage crisis in the province. They believe that developing hydroelectric dams could largely meet Badakhshan’s energy needs.

According to available information, Badakhshan requires about 140 megawatts of electricity, while the current production capacity from all sources in the province does not even reach 50 megawatts. This significant gap between demand and production raises questions about the Taliban administration’s performance in developing energy infrastructure in remote provinces.