KABUL, AFGHANISTAN – The Taliban authorities have signed agreements worth $243 million with Uzbekistan to build four electricity transmission and distribution projects in Afghanistan.
The deals were signed on Sunday between the Taliban-controlled Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) and Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Energy. The ceremony in Kabul was attended by Uzbek Energy Minister Joʻrabek Mirzamahmudov and Taliban Deputy Prime Minister Abdul Ghani Baradar.
According to the Taliban, the projects include:
- Construction of the 500 KV Surkhan-Dasht-e-Alwan transmission line with a capacity of 1,000 megawatts.
- Expansion of the Arghandi substation with a capacity of 800 MVA.
- Establishment of the 220 KV Kabul-Sheikh Mesri transmission line with a capacity of 800 megawatts.
- Construction of the Sheikh Mesri substation in Nangarhar province with a capacity of 126 MVA.
The Taliban says Uzbekistan will fund the projects, which are expected to be completed within 18 months. Once finished, Afghanistan is projected to receive between 800 and 1,000 megawatts of electricity from Uzbekistan.
Afghanistan relies heavily on imported electricity due to limited domestic production. The country imports over 70% of its electricity, mainly from Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Iran — a supply often disrupted by rising demand in those countries.
Although Uzbekistan has not officially recognized Taliban rule, it has maintained close ties with the regime. It has kept its embassy in Kabul open and transferred the Afghan embassy in Tashkent to Taliban diplomats. In recent years, the two sides have also signed several agreements, including a $1.2 billion trade deal finalized in late 2023.
