60pc of Jalalabad residents deprived of power supply

JALALABAD (PAN): Power supply from the Naghlu dam to eastern Nangarhar province meets the need of only 40 percent residents of Jalalabad, the provincial capital, an official said on Friday.

Almost 65,000 families are living in the city and if each household consumes one kilowatt of electricity, the city needs 65  mw of power, Energy and Water Director Muhib-ur-Rehman Momand said.

“If we provide the entire electricity generated by Naghlu dam to the city, the problem of only 40pc of Jalalabad’s population would be resolved,” he told Pajhwok Afghan News during an interview.

A newly-constructed power sub-station in the Ghochak area of the province could not generate more than 12 megawatts of electricity, the director added.

“Several government departments have to pay hundreds of millions of afghanis in bills to the department. With the collection of that money, as well as aid from the international community, we can rebuild the old power network of the city,” Momand said.

According to the director, he has held meetings with Governor Gul Agha Sherzai, Provincial Reconstruction) officials in this regard.

Responding to a question, Momand said power supply from Naghlu had been stopped due to insecurity and 66 power pylons would be installed soon.

He acknowledged they had failed to control the 81 private companies providing electricity from generators at high prices. The department had no armed force to do the job, he explained.

mas/mud