Uzbekistan to supply cheaper power to Afghanistan

KABUL (Pajhwok): Uzbekistan would decrease the price of electricity it imports to Afghanistan by around 3.5 afghanis per kilowatt, a statement from the Presidential Palace said Monday.

The new price would be effective from July this year, announced by Uzbekistan special representative for Afghanistan Esmatullah Erghashif during a meeting with President Ashraf Ghani on Sunday evening, the statement added.

An additional 1,000 megawatt electricity to Baghlan province from Uzbekistan would be added to the supply in one year which would help resolve electricity shortage issue in Kabul and provinces.

In recent months, electricity was extended to seven provinces, with the tariff dropping from 35 afghanis per kilowatts to 6.75 afs per kilowatt.

Afghanistan Breshana Shirkat (DABS) spokesman Waheedullah Tawhidi said the power utility had inked an agreement with Uzbek officials on a cut in the electricity price.

He said currently 300 megawatt of electricity was imported from Uzbekistan and DABS planned to increase the export after the price cut.

nh/ma