Five-year plan in place to produce electricity locally: IEA

The Ministry of Energy and Water (MoEW) says in order to solve the electricity supply problems in Afghanistan, the ministry has prioritized energy-generating projects and drawn up a five-year plan.

The spokesman for the ministry, Qari Matiullah, said that construction of Sarobi Phase-II and Bagh Dara hydro-electric dams are also included in the five-year plan.

Matiullah said that the survey and mapping of Sarobi Phase-II dam has also been completed.

“The total cost of Sarobi Phase-II dam is estimated at $300 million and it will have the capacity to produce 180 megawatts of electricity,” said Matiullah.

“We have a five-year plan to produce energy from domestic sources. For example, the Bagh Dara dam, Sarobi Phase-II dam, and the Naghlu solar power project.”

Members of the private sector meanwhile say economic development in the country is not possible without electricity and that the ministry should increase efforts to develop electricity production in Afghanistan.

“Energy and electricity are important pillars in industry, production, trade, agriculture and still in our normal life; without energy, the country cannot be prosperous,” said Khanjan Alokozai, a member of Afghanistan Chamber of Commerce and Investment (ACCI).

In addition, economic experts also believe that the construction of hydro-electric dams will help Afghanistan attain self-sufficiency in terms of energy supply and free it from the need to purchase electricity from neighboring countries.