Bayat Company invests $252m in power project

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Afghan government and the Bayat Power Company on Monday signed a contract worth $252 million for generating 192MWs of electricity using natural gas reserves in northern Jawzjan province,

The contract signing ceremony was held at the Presidential Palace, attended by Energy and Water Minister Ali Ahmad Usmani and Ihsanullah Bayat, head of the Bayat Company.

The minister said the project would be completed in three phases. In the first phase 50MW of power would be produced, 100MW in the second and 192MW in the third.

The High Economic Council has already approved the first phase, in which 50MW of electricity will be produced. In line with the contract, the firm will present its proposal for constructing a plant in three month.

The proposal could be evaluated by the authorities concerned, the minister added.

Bayat said once the project was executed, a huge power plant would be constructed in Shiberghan, the provincial capital. He said natural gas plants had been considered for generation of electricity, earning the government 900 million afghanis in revenue.

nh/mud