Uzbekistan, Afghanistan agree on electricity supplies for 2026

TASHKENT. Nov 18 (Interfax) - Uzbekistan and Afghanistan have signed a contract for the supply of electricity to the Afghan market in 2026, the Uzbek Energy Ministry's press service said.

"A contract for the supply of electricity to Afghanistan in 2026 was signed following a meeting between Uzbek Energy Minister Jurabek Mirzamakhmudov and a delegation headed by the general director of the Afghan company DABS (Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat), Abdul Bari Omar," the press service said.

The document was signed between the centralized electricity procurement and sales company Uzenergosotish (Uzbekistan) and DABS.

"The parties also discussed the current status of the construction of high-voltage power transmission lines and substations in Afghanistan, as well the further acceleration of this work," the press service said.

As reported, the implementation of joint energy projects with Uzbekistan worth $250 million began in Afghanistan in early September. These include constructing new power transmission lines and substations, including the 500 kV Surkhan-Puli-Khumri power transmission line with a length of 200.6 km, as well as facilities in Nangarhar and Kabul. The work will be completed by April 1, 2027.

The Uzbek joint-stock company National Electric Grid of Uzbekistan, whose successor for electricity sales is Uzenergosotish, concluded a contract with Afghanistan's DABS in 2019 for supplying up to 6 billion kWh of electricity annually for a period of ten years on a take or pay basis. The amount supplied in the current year and planned for 2026 has not been reported.

Afghanistan imports electricity from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Iran.