According to officials from the national power company, several electricity supply projects in Afghanistan have been halted for the past four months due to the suspension of funds from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the World Bank, and US development aid in the aftermath of the country's Taliban takeover.
According to officials from Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), one of the halted projects is Turkmenistan's 500 KV electricity transmission to Afghanistan, which was transferring electricity from Turkmenistan's border to Sheberghan's Aqina port, then to Kunduz's Alvazun plain, and finally to Kabul's Arghandi district.
Only 10% of the work has been performed thus far. "The 500 KV line project is 90% complete, with only 10% of the work left to be done. We can finish the remaining 10% of the work in the next six months if the ADB allows it "The executive chief of DABS, Safiullah Ahmadzai, was quoted by TOLO News as saying.
According to the officials, a complete solution to Kabul's electricity shortage will necessitate the construction of two more electrical sub-stations at a cost of $40 million. "They have not yet given us a good response, given the current situation in Afghanistan. We outlined all of our intentions as well as alternate approaches to resuming these initiatives "Ahmadzai continued.
Residents in Kabul have reported that the electricity scarcity has worsened this winter. "There is no electricity, and when it does come, it is not beneficial to us; it comes at 8 or 9 p.m.," Borhan, a resident of the capital city, said. "It does not come on when there is a demand for electricity late at night for lighting and heating the rooms. People are dealing with a variety of issues "Another local, Nooraqa, agreed.
Work on almost a dozen other important projects, including the CASA1000, TAPI, and TAP projects, has also been paused, according to several organisations in the country.
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