Officials from Afghanistan’s Ministry of Energy and Water have identified 16 electricity-generating projects that once established will increase power output and help make the country less reliant on its neighbors for this critical commodity.

The ministry’s spokesman Mawlavi Akhtar Mohammad Nasrat said of these 16, there are 12 thermal and solar power projects that have been identified and proposals have been shared with domestic and foreign investors in the hope of attracting financial backing.

Nasrat told Ariana News they have spoken to possible investors from Russia, Iran, the US, China and Turkey but as yet no agreements have yet been finalized.

“Companies and donors came here to Afghanistan from Russia, US, China, Iran, and Turkey and said they are interested in investing in this area to increase electricity generation across the country,” he said.

Economists also believe that if investors can be found to support this sector, and more electricity is generated, industry will grow.

One economist, Taj Mohammad Talash, said he thinks the agricultural sector would also grow if more power was generated. He said: “The Islamic Emirate can prioritize energy in three categories, through water, wind, and solar.”

Currently, Afghanistan pays its neighboring countries about $250 million a year for electricity as it generates only about 600 megawatts (MW) from several hydroelectric, fossil fuel and solar plants.

However, an additional 670 MW is imported from neighboring Iran, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

Power projects ‘prioritized’

In April, the IEA’s Economic Commission, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, gave orders for various ministries to prioritize projects to generate electricity.

At the time, the commission said after “extensive discussions on all issues that the private sector is prepared to invest in” it was decided that the generation of electricity should be a priority.

According to the statement, the commission instructed the Ministry of Mines and Petroleum; the Ministry of Trade and Industry; the Chamber of Industry and Mines; as well as the Chamber of Commerce and Investment, under the leadership of the Ministry of Energy and Water, to also generate electricity from coal.

A shortage of power has plagued Afghanistan for decades despite it having ample hydropower, coal and fossil fuel resources.

Over the past few years however, one successful private partnership has emerged – between the Afghan government and Bayat Power, Afghanistan’s largest, Afghan-owned and operated power production company which has the region’s most technologically advanced gas fired electric power plant.

Launched in 2019, this commercial operation provides reliable and affordable electric power to thousands of people in Afghanistan.

Located in Sherberghan, in the north of the country, the epicenter of the nation’s gas-rich region, Bayat Power has steadfastly aimed to provide essential power for Afghanistan’s economic growth.

Powered by a Siemens SGT-A45 ‘Fast Power’ turbine, the world’s most advanced mobile gas to energy power solution, phase one of Bayat Power-1’s operations generates up to 41 megawatts of power for Afghan homes and businesses.

To date, Bayat Power has delivered over 600 million kilowatts of domestic power to the Afghan grid. However, Bayat Power hopes to eventually roll out three phases in total, that will generate more than 200 megawatts of electricity – enough to serve millions of Afghan residential and commercial clients.