Bills in arrears, Taliban Plans to Buy Electricity from Iran

ACCEPTANCE – National electricity company Afghanistan planning to import electricity from Iran with the hope of overcoming the energy crisis that threatens the country.

According to Afghan news network TOLO News, Afghan electricity company Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), announced a deal this week to buy 100 megawatts of supply. Business Insider, Sunday (11/14/2021).

The country’s electricity grid is in a precarious state since Taliban toppled the US-backed government in August. Afghanistan imports most of its electricity, and has increasing debt to neighboring countries.

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In October, The Wall Street Journal reported that Kabul faced power cuts in the winter. The former CEO of DABS, who left during the takeover by the Taliban, said they owed about $90 million to Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

Those countries, he said, would be justified in cutting off electricity supply to Afghanistan on the pretext of non-payment.

The deal with Iran offers another avenue for the Taliban to secure reliable electricity.

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A DABS spokesman told TOLO News that imports were focused on western Afghanistan. Kabul, where the threat of blackouts is said to be most acute, is in the east.

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