Turkmenistan and Tajikistan expand contribution to Afghanistan's steady power energy supply
Turkmenistan intends to significantly increase the supply of electricity to neighboring Afghanistan. As reported by the official media of Turkmenistan, Mary, Dashoguz, Lebap construction departments of the concern "Turkmenenergo" of the Ministry of power energy extended about 130 kilometers of high-voltage transmission lines to the border of Afghanistan. Two 110 kV and 35/10 kV transmission lines have been stretched to the border areas. The capacity of the substation “Rabatkashan” (110 kV substation) in Mary region and substation “Atamurad” in Lebap province were upgraded to ensure uninterrupted supply. The old lines were reconstructed and new ones were commissioned. The distribution systems were modernized. Recently, Tajikistan has started to export electricity to Afghanistan via Uzbekistan. As confirmed by the Chairman of the energy holding "Barki Tojik" Ismoilzoda Mirzo Ibrohim, the lines of Surkhandarya power center transported 140 million kWh of electricity to Afghanistan. Transit supplies of Tajik electricity are carried out in accordance with additional agreements signed by the Tajikistan with the company “Uzbekenergo”. According to the head of “Barki Tojik”, the power systems of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan are operating in the replacement mode, but in the near future their simultaneous operation will be restored. He also added that now the issue of electricity supplies to Afghanistan is closely connected with the restoration of the existing power line in the territory of this country. Tajikistan intends to export to Afghanistan up to 1.5 billion kWh of electricity in 2018 compared to last year's 1.4 billion kWh. Moreover, Uzbekistan has started realization of Surkhan-Pul-e-Khumri power transmission project, which will connect Afghan and Central Asian power grids. Thus, the efforts made by the three countries - Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan – to boost electricity export to Afghanistan will contribute to a stable power supply to the population, which sometimes equating electricity to water. For millions of ordinary Afghan citizens, absence of power outages means stable air-conditioning systems in schools, hospitals, social centers, for small producers – this means steady operation of workshops, for traders - the growth of sales of electrical equipment, the possibility of additional working hours of stalls and shops. There are many such examples, and in general they indicate that one of the ways towards peaceful development in Afghanistan lies through free access to electricity.
