Afghanistan’s DABS outlines causes of power outages and unveils long-term energy strategy

Afghanistan’s national power utility, Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), has outlined the key factors behind the country’s recurring electricity outages and presented its broader plan to strengthen and modernize the energy sector.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, DABS CEO Abdul Bari Omar said rising power cuts in Kabul and several provinces are primarily driven by three developments.

The three factors, according to him are the large-scale return of Afghan refugees;

the rapid expansion of industrial and residential zones; and increasingly high electricity consumption among citizens.

Omar noted that Afghanistan’s power grid, much of which was built according to outdated and low technical standards, is no longer capable of meeting current demand. He stressed the need for stronger energy management and closer cooperation between the public and government institutions to stabilize the network.

Compounding the pressure, drought has reduced water levels in the country’s hydroelectric reservoirs, temporarily lowering domestic power generation.

Looking ahead, Omar said Afghanistan will require at least a decade to generate and distribute 20,000 MW of household electricity reliably.

For the current fiscal year, DABS has earmarked AFN 47 billion for network development, including new substations, while overall investment in power-generation sources has surpassed $719 million.

He added that the company is working not only on new power plants and grid expansion, but also on modernizing its operations. A fully electronic customer service system is expected to launch soon.

Omar also announced that Afghanistan has, for the first time, begun producing clean electricity from wind energy. Solar and gas-based power projects are advancing rapidly as part of a broader push toward sustainable and diversified energy sources.

The initiatives reflect a comprehensive national effort to expand electricity access, improve service delivery, and build a more resilient and environmentally responsible energy infrastructure.