Herat Chamber of Industries and Mines says manufacturing in its industrial town has decreased by 70 percent due to power shortages and that thousands of people have lost their jobs.

According to officials, a large part of Herat city, including its industrial town, is supplied by imported electricity from Iran, and for a week, the amount of energy imported from across the border has decreased by about 70 percent.

“Herat industrial town has 30 megawatts of electricity, of which approximately 70 megawatts of electricity has been cut from the substation of Herat industrial town by the Islamic Republic of Iran, and this problem continues all the time,” said Hamidullah Khadim, head of Chamber of Industries and Mines in Herat. 

Khadim added that they have discussed this problem with government officials many times, but nothing has been done to solve the problem. 

Factory owners meanwhile also complain about the shortage of electricity in this town.

“About 60% to 70% of our production has decreased and what the market demands from us, unfortunately, we cannot deliver to our customers,” said a factory owner in Herat.

Herat residents also complained about the shortage of electricity coming from Iran. 

“The electricity is very weak, our electricity goes out most of the time, especially in summer it causes children to get sick,” said a resident. 

Meanwhile, Herat’s local administration noted that efforts are underway to solve the problem. 

“The local administration of Herat has always tried to solve people’s problems and we assure the nation that the electricity problem will be solved as soon as possible,” said Nisar Ahmad Elyas, a spokesman for the Herat governor.