Power project signed to electrify 47,000 Jawzjan homes

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Energy and Water (MoEW) on Tuesday signed a power supply project worth more than 1.8 billion afghanis with a domestic private firm to provide electricity to Qush Tepa and Darzab districts in northern Jawzjan province.

The contract signing ceremony, attended by Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar and other senior government officials, was held today at the Government Information and Media Centre.

Addressing the event, Director General of Renewable Energy at MoEW Mawlawi Abdul Rahman Rahmani said the project— valued at 28.4 million US dollars, equivalent to over 1.886 billion afghanis— was signed between the ministry and the private company, State Corps.

He said the project’s implementation would allow nearly all households in Qush Tepa and Darzab districts to access electricity.

Rahmani explained that the project includes the transmission of electricity line from the provincial capital of Jawzjan measuring 85.4 kilometres to Qush Tepa and Darzab, the construction of substations and the establishment of distribution networks in both districts.

Alauddin Salim, a representative of State Corps, described the project as crucial and said it would be completed within three years.

He added that it comprises a 220-kilovolt transmission line from Shiberghan, the provincial capital, to Qush Tepa and then to Darzab, the construction of two substations in the districts and the development of electricity distribution networks in both areas.

Salim also said domestic private firms were more committed than foreign companies to implementing projects and that State Corps was fully dedicated to completing this one.

According to MoEW, the project will be funded through revenues from the country’s mines and is expected to provide electricity to approximately 47,000 families.

The ministry urged State Corps to complete the project on schedule, according to the contract and with high quality.

kk/ma