KABUL, Afghanistan – Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) on Saturday said it has collected more than 1 billion Afs in debts from former politicians and government organizations, according to sources.
The collection of debts helped DABS, country’s power distributor,to process the payments of the imported electricity from neighboring countries, a DABS spokesman Hekmatullah Maiwandi said.
“We have received 1.1 billion Afs (over $12.5 million) from government institutions,” he said, as TOLOnews quoted. “We also collected 70 to 75 million Afs ($855,000) in debts from politicians.”
“The roadmap should be made such as pre-payment meters should be installed. An agreement should be reached with the Ministry of Finance. The government departments should pay their electricity through the finance ministry or any other institution,” said Amanullah Ghalib, former head of the DABS.
Deputy Foreign Minister Sher Mohammad Abas Stanekzai in a telephone conversation with Uzbekistan envoy for Afghanistan Esmatullah Ergashev discussed issues around imported electricity to the country, Foreign Ministry spokesman Zia Ahmad Takal said.
According to Takal, Stanekzai urged Uzbekistan to provide Afghanistan with the amount of electricity agreed upon.
Although factories have paid their debts to DABS, according to the Chamber of Industry and Mines, they have not yet received enough power.
“The supply of electricity to industrial parks particularly in Kabul is not normal and this creates problems for investors,” said Sakhi Ahmad Paiman, deputy head of the chamber, as TOLOnews quoted.
Meanwhile, Kabul residents expressed concerns over continued power cuts in the capital city while the bills are still high.
“If the debts have been paid, they (DABS) should provide service to the people. The electricity bills are charged as before but there is no power,” said Arash, a Kabul resident.
“We have no electricity. In every 24 hours, it is provided from 11pm to 1:00 am,” said Ahmad Shamim, a Kabul resident.
Energy in Afghanistan is provided by hydropower followed by fossil fuel and solar power. According to Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), approximately 35% of Afghanistan’s population has access to electricity.
This covers the major cities in the country. Many rural areas do not have access to 24-hour electricity but this should change after the major CASA-1000 project is completed.
Afghanistan currently generates over 600 megawatts (MW) of electricity from its several hydroelectric plants as well as using fossil fuel and solar panels. Over 670 MW more is imported from neighboring Iran, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.
Due to the large influx of expats from neighboring Pakistan and Iran, Afghanistan may require as much as 7,000 MW of electricity in the coming years.
The Afghan National Development Strategy has identified alternative energy, such as wind and solar energy, as a high value power source to develop. As a result, a number of solar and wind farms have been established, with more currently under development.
