Central-South Asia power grid nears reality
CASA-1000 Project moves closer to completion, promising regional energy connectivity
KABUL, Afghanistan (MNTV) — A long-awaited project to transport surplus electricity from Central Asia to energy-hungry South Asia is edging closer to reality.
The Central Asia-South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project
(CASA-1000)—designed to link Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan—has made significant progress, with most participating countries nearing completion of their portions of the initiative.
Tajikistan’s Minister of Energy, Daler Juma, confirmed that construction on CASA-1000 is already finished in Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan, while Pakistan is expected to complete its section by mid-2024.
Once fully operational, the project will transmit up to 1,300 megawatts of electricity from hydro-rich Central Asian nations to Pakistan through Afghanistan, improving regional energy security and cooperation.
Meanwhile, Afghanistan’s Taliban-led government announced that 70% of its segment of CASA-1000 is complete.
However, according to TOLONews, work has stalled due to a funding shortfall.
Afghan authorities are urging the World Bank to release additional financial support to finish the project.
Matiullah Abid, spokesperson for Afghanistan’s Ministry of Energy and Water, said that 95% of the required equipment is already at the project site.
“If the World Bank funds the remaining work, Afghanistan is fully prepared to resume construction,” he stated.
Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), the country’s power utility, confirmed that a high-level meeting among Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan will take place this year to discuss the project’s completion and next steps.
Once CASA-1000 becomes fully operational, Afghanistan stands to earn up to $70 million annually in transit fees, providing a crucial economic lifeline. The project also symbolizes deeper regional integration, with experts emphasizing its importance beyond electricity transmission.
“This initiative intertwines economic and security interests across the region,” said Amanullah Ghalib, former chief of DABS. “Its completion will pave the way for further infrastructure investments in Afghanistan.”
With all eyes on the final phases of CASA-1000, South Asia is moving closer to tapping into Central Asia’s vast hydroelectric resources—marking a major milestone in cross-border energy collaboration.
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