Tajikistan ups power exports to Afghanistan

By Kamila Aliyeva

Tajikistan is exporting electricity to Afghanistan on average 7 million kWh daily, Avesta reported with reference to the energy department of the republic.

The volume of electricity supplies to Afghanistan has more than doubled compared to early April 2017, when the figure was 2.6 million kWh per day.

The ministry noted that neighboring Afghanistan remains the main buyer of Tajik electricity.

Afghanistan’s share amounts to 6.5 million kWh per day in the total volume of daily exports. The rest is exported to Kyrgyzstan. Only in May the total volume of exports of Tajik electricity amounted to more than 105.1 million kWh.

Previously, the energy sectors of both countries (Tajikistan and Afghanistan) signed relevant documents that determine the volume of supplies and prices for exported electricity.

At present, Tajikistan's available resources make it possible to significantly increase the amount of electricity supplied to Afghanistan. However, the Afghan side, for a number of objective reasons, does not accept more electricity.

The state energy holding Barki Tojik reported that last year Tajikistan exported electricity in the amount of over 1.3 billion kWh.

The volume of electricity exports in 2016 compared to the indicator of 2015 increased by 138.3 million kWh, according to the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of the Republic,.

Last year the cost of electricity for a neighboring country stood at 4.059 cents per kWh.

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Kamila Aliyeva is AzerNews’ staff journalist, follow her on Twitter: @Kami_Aliyeva

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