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Bayat Power set to launch phase two of its gas to electricity power generating project
Bayat Power is hoping to start work on phase two of Bayat Power-1 in northern Jawzjan province in order to increase its electricity production output for Afghanistan.
Company officials said Sunday they have started discussions with relevant government departments in order to start the project.
Mohammad Shoaib Sahibzada, the technical head of Bayat Power, said once complete the second phase of the power plant project will add about 100 megawatts of electricity to the national grid. He said eventually, phase three will push output up to 200 megawatts.
In 2019, Bayat Power started work on Bayat Power-1’s 40MW gas-fired turbine, which achieved commercial operation later that year in Sheberghan. The plant uses Siemens Energy’s SGT-A45 mobile gas turbine, which will be integrated into phase two of the project.
Sahibzada meanwhile said phase one of the project, completed in November four years ago, has an output capacity of 40 megawatts and has provided hundreds of thousands of people with electricity in this time.
He also stated that the SGT-A45 turbine has the ability to produce 300 million kilowatts of electricity annually, which will be supplied to residential areas, mosques, universities, schools and hospitals in Jawzjan, Sar-e-Pul and Balkh provinces.
“The leadership of Bayat Power is in contact with the relevant departments and officials. Talks have started so that we can begin and implement the second phase of this project,” said Sahibzada.
He added that they have a contract with Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), the country’s power supply company, for the distribution and regulation of electricity produced by Bayat Power, and that the company has signed another contract with Afghan Gas Company to increase the supply of natural gas.
Sahibzada also said Bayat Power has close working partnerships with DABS, Afghan Gas and other institutions including the Ministries of Mines and Petroleum, Energy and Water, as well as Siemens Energy – all of which help to provide more electricity to the nation.
“The benefits of this project from the point of view of electricity supply is that it was already able to provide electricity to hundreds of thousands of families, and the installed turbine has the [output] capacity of 40 megawatts of electricity,” Sahibzada added.
He also said phase two will bring the company closer to reaching its goal of producing 300 million kilowatt hours of electricity annually.
The Islamic Emirate has meanwhile welcomed Bayat Power’s plans to expand the output capacity. The IEA’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the Islamic Emirate gives its full support to the private sector.
“For the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, electrical energy is very important, it has vital value. Therefore, the Islamic Emirate pays a lot of attention to the private sector, if a company obtains an achievement, it means that it has been paid attention to. The Islamic Emirate has used all the possibilities to support the private sector and they are definitely moving forward,” said Mujahid.
Bayat Power was founded by the Bayat Group in 2013 with the aim of providing domestically produced electricity to the people of Afghanistan.
The power plant utilizes advanced and efficient technology, offering significantly more power and higher efficiency compared to other mobile gas turbines worldwide.
The project, in addition to generating significant tax revenues to the government, has created thousands of direct and indirect job opportunities for Afghans, contributing to the nation’s economic condition and fostering new technical skill sets amongst talented citizens.
Bayat Power, is in fact a trailblazer in Afghanistan’s independent power production sector, and just last week was awarded the prestigious Asian Power Award 2023 for its groundbreaking gas-fired mobile power plant.
On hand to accept the award on Wednesday night was Bayat Power’s CEO Ali Kasemi who said it was an honor and a privilege for the company to receive the accolade. He also said the award was an acknowledgement of the hard work and tenacity of Afghans in their quest for energy security and self-sufficiency in the power sector.
“Bayat Power is extremely proud that the Asian Power Awards have recognized our project as the Gas Power Project of the Year in Afghanistan. But we are even prouder of our continued efforts to improve the lives of Afghans across the country, enabling students to study at night, allowing health workers to provide critical services 24/7, supporting factory production, and lighting up cities, streets, mosques, and homes nationwide,” said Kasemi.
Members of the United Nations Security Council have voiced concern over rising clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan, calling on both countries to reduce tensions and resolve their disputes through dialogue.
Speaking during a Security Council meeting on Monday, Russia’s ambassador to the United Nations, Vassily Nebenzia, said Moscow was alarmed by the recent escalation in armed confrontations along the disputed Durand Line frontier between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Nebenzia described both countries as partners of Russia and stressed the need to shift the situation back to diplomatic and political channels. He said Moscow was ready to support efforts aimed at easing tensions if requested by the two sides.
The Russian envoy also expressed hope that Afghanistan and Pakistan would resume constructive cooperation on regional security issues, particularly counterterrorism.
He added that Russia continues to monitor developments inside Afghanistan, including the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, emphasizing the importance of ensuring access to education and employment for all Afghans regardless of ethnicity, religion, or gender.
Nebenzia further noted that Moscow is closely observing progress toward the formation of an inclusive political system in Afghanistan that includes participation from all ethnic and political groups.
China’s ambassador to the United Nations, Fu Cong, also expressed concern over the growing violence between the two neighbors. He said the clashes had resulted in significant casualties and called on both sides to exercise restraint.
Fu urged Kabul and Islamabad to quickly move toward a ceasefire and resolve their disputes through dialogue and negotiation. He added that China has been actively using diplomatic channels to help reduce tensions and remains willing to play a constructive role in mediating between the two countries.
The Chinese envoy also raised broader economic issues affecting Afghanistan, stressing that Afghan central bank assets frozen abroad belong to the Afghan people and should be returned. He also called for the lifting of unilateral sanctions imposed on the country.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom’s Minister of State for Skills, Jacqui Smith, said United Kingdom is deeply concerned about the escalating tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan.
She called for immediate de-escalation and urged both sides to re-engage in mediated dialogue in order to prevent further instability in an already fragile region.
The statements come amid rising tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, which have led to recent clashes along the disputed Durand Line and raised fears of broader regional instability. Diplomatic efforts by international actors are increasingly focused on preventing further escalation between the two neighboring countries.
Despite what it called a humanitarian “disaster” in Afghanistan, the U.S. said on Monday international assistance to the country should be evaluated, given IEA “intransigence” and its exclusion of the female population from basic rights.
Speaking to a U.N. Security Council meeting on Afghanistan, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, noted that the budget for the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), the mandate of which is up for renewal next week, is the largest of any special U.N. mission in the world.
“In light of the Taliban’s (IEA) intransigence, we must carefully evaluate the utility of international assistance and engagement in Afghanistan,” Waltz said, even as he highlighted an ongoing “humanitarian disaster” there.
“This council must consider carefully the funds we collectively provide for this mission’s budget, when the mission’s female national staff are not even able to go into the office to work,” he added.
The Islamic Emirate has previously said that its policies on women are based on the Islamic law.
Afghanistan faces one of the world’s most pressing humanitarian crises.
According to the U.N. World Food Programme, more than 17 million Afghans – or one-third of the population – are facing acute food shortages, including 4.7 million facing emergency levels of hunger.
The temporary head of UNAMA, Georgette Gagnon, told the meeting Afghanistan had “urgent” humanitarian needs and the humanitarian crisis there had worsened due to funding cuts. She said humanitarian agencies aimed to assist 17.5 million Afghans in 2026 through an appeal for $1.71 billion, but this was currently only 10% funded.
Gagnon said Afghanistan’s nearly two-week conflict with Pakistan had had “punishing human and economic costs” and the Iran war on its other border was causing prices of basic commodities to rise.
She said some positive developments showed the value of international engagement, including the IEA ban on opium poppy cultivation. She warned that if rights and humanitarian issues were not dealt with, Afghanistan could “once again become a driver of regional and global instability in the form of outmigration, terrorism, narcotics and more.”
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UN warns of possible surge in Afghan returnees from Iran
Deputy UNHCR spokesperson Faramarz Barzin said the organization is closely monitoring the situation while prioritizing the protection of vulnerable returnees.
The United Nations has expressed concern over a potential increase in Afghan migrants returning from Iran, warning that many could face heightened vulnerability upon arrival in Afghanistan.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said its primary concern remains the safety and protection of Afghan returnees, particularly as regional tensions continue to affect migrant communities.
According to the agency, there has not yet been a significant rise in the number of Afghans returning from Iran despite ongoing instability and conflict in the wider region. However, UNHCR said it is preparing for the possibility of a sudden influx.
The agency noted that contingency measures are already being put in place at key border crossings, including Islam Qala, to ensure that humanitarian assistance can be delivered quickly if return numbers increase.
UNHCR said it is currently providing a range of support services for Afghans returning from Iran, including cash assistance, protection services, temporary shelter, healthcare and registration.
Deputy UNHCR spokesperson Faramarz Barzin said the organization is closely monitoring the situation while prioritizing the protection of vulnerable returnees.
“Our primary concern continues to be the safety and protection of Afghan returnees, who are particularly vulnerable under the current circumstances,” Barzin said.
“Although we have not yet observed a significant increase in returns from Iran, UNHCR is actively preparing for the possibility of a rise in arrivals.”
He added that precautionary measures are already underway at major border crossings, particularly at Islam Qala, to ensure rapid assistance if the number of returnees grows.
The warning comes as humanitarian organizations report continued forced or pressured returns of Afghan migrants from both Iran and Pakistan, a trend that could further strain Afghanistan’s already fragile humanitarian situation.
UNHCR said it is working closely with international partners to monitor developments and adapt its response to meet the needs of vulnerable groups, including women, children and people at heightened risk.
Many Afghan migrants return under pressure from host countries or due to fears linked to regional tensions. Once back in Afghanistan, many face significant challenges, including poverty, unemployment and a lack of adequate housing.
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