Afghanistan Pursues Four 500kV Power Projects to Expand Electricity Imports
Afghanistan is pursuing four power transmission projects with Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Iran and Tajikistan to increase electricity exchange capacity and reduce dependence on imports. However, the high cost of imported power and the vulnerability of transmission lines remain major concerns.
According to Afghanistan’s power utility, Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat, the Turkmenistan-Kabul transmission line is expected to be completed within the next 10 months. At the same time, the Surkhan-Dasht-e Alwan project, with a transmission capacity of 1,000 megawatts, is under way in cooperation with Uzbekistan.
The projects involving Iran and Tajikistan have not yet been finalized and are still under review and discussion. Tajikistan wants the existing 220-kilovolt line upgraded to 500 kilovolts, while Iran is also negotiating the construction of a new power transmission line to Afghanistan.
Afghanistan currently imports about 800 megawatts of electricity and pays a significant amount for this energy. Any disruption to transmission lines or rising tensions among supplying countries could affect access to electricity for millions of people in Afghanistan.
Energy experts say completion of these projects could create opportunities to expand regional power exchange and joint economic cooperation. They believe costs can be reduced only if the price of imported electricity is also managed, an issue that, alongside infrastructure development, is important for securing a stable energy supply.
