Uzbekistan’s electricity supply to Afghanistan drops by 60%

Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) has announced that Uzbekistan has reduced its electricity exports to Afghanistan by 60% “without coordination.”

DABS said in a statement on Wednesday that Uzbek officials said the reason for this was due to technical problems.

The statement quoted Uzbek officials as saying that a technical problem had arisen at the Marjan power station, which had reduced the amount of electricity for exports to Afghanistan.

Uzbek officials have said the problem is being attended to and that hopefully the electricity supply to Afghanistan will return to normal within the next two or three days.

DABS said that due to the reduction of electricity imported from Uzbekistan, electricity in 16 provinces has been cut and that widespread power outages are in place.

Afghanistan relies heavily on imported electricity from Central Asian countries.

Kabul in particular faces major power shortages during both winter and summer.

The drop in supply meanwhile comes just days after DABS officials called on politicians, former government officials and businessmen to settle their outstanding bills with the power supply company.

The company issued a statement saying that Breshna’s one-month deadline had expired for debtors and that they should not miss their last opportunity to pay their electricity debts.

Abdul Rahman Rahmani, head of the business department, said that financial problems and non-payment of bills had created major problems for DABS.

Rahmani said that getting payment in full from former politicians, officials and members of the public was the only way to resolve the power supply company’s financial woes.