KABUL (Pajhwok): Several Kabul residents have complained about increasing power outages and reduced electricity supply hours during the hot summer days, while Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) says the situation is caused by electricity shortages and increased consumption.
The power utility added that a long-term solution depends on the completion of power generation projects.
A Pajhwok Afghan News reporter spoke with residents from several areas of Kabul city. Most said they receive less than eight hours of electricity a day.
Sayed Farid Hashimi, a resident of Doghabad area in Kabul, said: “Since the start of summer, we have faced electricity shortages. I do not know the reason — whether it is due to a shortage of power or whether countries with which we have electricity agreements have reduced the supply. We do not know the main cause.”
He said his area receives electricity for less than five hours a day, adding that many daily activities now depend on power and prolonged outages have made life difficult for residents.
Juma Gul, a resident of Khairkhana area, expressed similar concerns, saying: “We have electricity for only three hours in 24 hours. We have neither electricity during the day nor at night. From 5am until 9pm, there are frequent outages. When electricity comes, it only remains for two or three hours before going off again. We cannot run fans or refrigerators, and our small children cry throughout the night when there is no electricity.”
Mohammad Tahir, another Kabul resident, urged the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) to prioritise electricity generation projects to find a permanent solution to the problem.
Meanwhile, Nilab, a resident of Kabul’s seventh district, said power outages had increased with rising temperatures and called on the IEA to take fundamental measures to address the issue.
Mohammad Sadiq Haqparast, spokesperson for DABS, told Pajhwok that the main challenge was a shortage of electricity.
“Our main problem is a shortage of power. We currently have around 750 megawatts available in the network, while Afghanistan’s total demand reaches 4,000 megawatts. Another issue is that electricity consumption rises significantly during summer and winter. Naturally, outages increase because people use heaters in winter and fans and air conditioners in summer,” he said.
Haqparast said Afghanistan currently imports electricity from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan, while part of the required power is also generated domestically.
He added that 17 projects were currently underway to address the shortage, which would produce 1,820 megawatts of electricity once completed. According to him, the projects are expected to take around three years to complete.
He also referred to a solar power generation project by Azizi Group, saying work on the project was ongoing and it was expected to become operational in the coming years.
DABS officials have previously said that Afghanistan has significant potential to generate electricity from hydropower, wind, solar and gas resources.
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