Afghanistan’s state electricity utility, Breshna, said its officials met Murad Artikov, head of the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) power project, to review progress on a major 500-kilovolt electricity transmission line linking Turkmenistan and Afghanistan.
According to the statement the meeting focused on the implementation timeline for the high-voltage transmission project, which is expected to increase the volume of electricity imported from Turkmenistan and strengthen Afghanistan’s national power grid.
The statement said, officials also discussed the completion of the Noor al-Jihad substation in Herat province, expanding electricity supply to Bala Murghab district in Badghis province, and advancing several other energy infrastructure projects across western Afghanistan.
The 500kV transmission line is one of Afghanistan’s largest regional energy projects and forms part of broader efforts to improve cross-border electricity connectivity between Central and South Asia. Once completed, the project is expected to enhance the reliability of electricity supplies to several Afghan provinces and support future regional energy trade.
Afghanistan’s reliance on imported electricity
Afghanistan imports a significant share of its electricity from neighboring countries, including Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Iran. Years of conflict, underinvestment and damage to infrastructure have left the country heavily dependent on imported power, particularly during peak demand periods.
Turkmenistan is one of Afghanistan’s largest electricity suppliers, providing power to several northern and western provinces through multiple cross-border transmission lines.
Analysts say projects such as the 500kV line are viewed as strategically important for Afghanistan’s economic recovery because they improve electricity access for households, businesses and industrial zones while strengthening regional connectivity.
