Islamic Republic of Afghanistan - Enhanced Integrated Framework ...

• “By end 2010, electricity will reach at least65 percent of households and 90 percent ofnon-residential establishments in major urbanareas and at least 25percent of householdsin rural areas.”• “By end 2010, at least 75 percent of thecosts will be recovered from users connectedto the national power grid”, abenchmark that the Government now intendsto exceed for all but the poorestmembers of society.45These are ambitious goals. Meeting these objectiveswill require the transformation of thesector similar to the changes that took place inthe telecommunications industry with the reorganizationand commercialization of publicsector activities and with a greater role beingplayed by the private sector.Current situation in the sectorThe energy sector suffered considerable damagedue to war and operational neglect. Thecountry has never had high rates of electrification.Today it is estimated that 20 percent ofthe population have access to public power(grid-supplied) on certain days for a limitednumber of hours. Nationally seven grids distributepower, with supply coming from domestichydro generation; imported power andthermal generation. Isolated diesel generationhas dramatically increased since 2002 and willcontinue to play a large role in power supplies.Rural populations use local waste, solar panels,batteries and small wood, coal, kerosene suppliesfor basic cooking and heat.Over the past five years, the Government hasworked with the international community to45 The poorest members of society rarely have access to electricityservice.increase the availability of electricity and otherenergy resources and to carry out the planningnecessary to make the transition to a more sustainableand efficient private sector led energysector. A power sector master plan (2003-04); agas sector master plan (2004-05), and a renewableenergy plan (2006) were developed and/orupdated. Considerable Investment in expandingdomestic generation capacity has been undertaken,including the rehabilitation of thedamaged power infrastructure. To a lesser extent,repairs at gas, coal and other energy infrastructurehave taken place while millions ofdollars have been spent for diesel fuel andsupport of more than 1,700 small renewableenergy projects. Since 2006, there has been anon-going program for commercialization ofoperations in power operations by the stateowned power company, DABM.The Inter-Ministerial Commission for Energy(ICE) was established in 2006 to coordinateGovernment policy in energy; to leverage donorresources; and integrate sector planning.Cadastre and Inspectorate functions are nowlocated at the Ministry of Mines to support oil,natural gas and coal contracts.The efforts mentioned above have resulted in asignificant improvement in the availability ofelectricity and other energy sources comparedto the devastated conditions prior to 2002.Electricity capacity compared to 2002 has almostdoubled, largely due to imported supply,which was non-existent prior to 2002 (see Table7.1). However, on a per capita basis, the electricitygenerating capacity is well below what itwas in 1978. The present goal of electricityavailability set for 2010 is below 40 kwh percapita, (compared to a present availability in,for instance, Tajikistan of over 2,200 kwh percapita). Technical standards of operations remainantiquated and do not appropriately reflectthe new technologies or modern safetymeasures.Table 7.1. Electricity supply sources and operating capacityYearHydro Thermal Imported Other: diesel, micro hydro Total supply(MW) (MW) (MW) & renewable (MW) (MW)1357 (1978) 259 137 0 0 3961381 (2002) 141 16 87 0 2431386 (2007) 262 90 167 133 65278Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS)