Afghanistan
In economic terms, revenues that the CASA-1000 system is expected to generate annually will help procure more electricity for the people of Afghanistan. Separate community support program to be funded from the revenues of the CASA-1000 system will help improve community access to essential services by implementing local projects in health services, electricity supply, construction of schools and bridges.
Afghanistan imports majority of its power, but even with these imports, the country cannot meet the existing energy demand. To help meet this demand, Afghanistan signed agreements with Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan as sellers of power through the CASA-1000 system. According to the power purchase agreements, Afghanistan will purchase 300MW electricity from the two countries. This additional supply of electricity will help alleviate acute power shortages in the country and may reduce the existing gap between demand and generation.
Construction Activities
Construction activities in Afghanistan involve three separate contracts: Lot-1, Lot-2 and Lot3. Lot-1. About 68% excavation and backfilling and 38% tower erections have been completed. For Lot-2 (189 km transmission lines), about 23% excavation and 9% backfilling were completed in early 2021 including 136 excavations, 53 backfilling, and 14 tower erections out of 587. For Lot-3 (190 km transmission lines), the progress was 58.6% excavation, 21.5% backfilling, and 15.9% tower erection. This progress included 318 excavations, 117 backfilling, and 86 tower erections out of 542. Meanwhile, most of the construction materials have already been supplied and are in the contractor’s storage facilities.
Community Support Projects
CASA-1000 countries have proposed implementing targeted Community Support Programs (CSPs) in each country as part of the CASA-1000 project. These programs aim to improve the livelihoods of the corridor communities and increase the shared prosperity associated with the project. The CSPs will first be implemented during the project’s construction phase to help create a more supportive environment, especially among conflict-affected and vulnerable populations. In Afghanistan, the CASA-1000 Transmission Line Project passes through approximately 700 communities in 32 districts of seven provinces, including Kunduz, Baghlan, Panjshir, Kapisa, Kabul, Laghman, and Nangarhar. Small infrastructure projects (priority will be given to electricity-generating projects) would be implemented under the Community Support Program in the Corridor of Influence (CoI) during the construction phase of the CASA-1000 Project.
Community Support Program Photos
Grid Extension Project in Hes-i-Awal Kohistan District of Kapisa Province (Lot-3)
Irrigation Canal Project in Aghrabad Village of Qarghae District in Laghman Province (Lot-3)
Irrigation Canal Project is ongoing in Boz Chord Community Development Council in the Capital of Kunduz Province (Lot-1)