Renewable energy for Afghanistan

Situation

In many regions of Afghanistan, the electricity supply is limited or non-existent. More than 75% of the country’s rural population has no access to a regular supply of electricity. However, a secure electricity supply provides the basis for economic growth, employment, medical care and education. Additionally, most (over 60%) of the country’s current electricity supplies are imported from abroad. As a result, Afghanistan is dependent on countries such as Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan.

Objective

The programme seeks to provide the Afghan people and commercial enterprises with electricity from renewable energy sources. It also aims to increase employment, promote economic growth and improve living conditions.

Measures & Results

With support for a decentralised electricity supply based on renewable energy sources, additional service connections are being provided, this time without the use of expensive and environmentally harmful diesel generators. In this way, the expansion of modern transmission and distribution grids is cutting emissions. Additionally, the infrastructure measures are helping to increase transmission capacity.

Work to expand the municipal grid in the city of Feyzabad was completed recently, and construction work has already commenced on the city’s hydropower plant. Once the plant is completed and connected to the municipal grid, up to 60,000 of Feyzabad’s residents (some 9,200 households connections) will benefit from electricity generated from renewable energy sources.