The Kabul Tribune (KT) — Afghanistan continues to face a severe electricity shortage, with access to the national power grid reaching only about 40% to 42% of the population and the vast majority of grid connections concentrated in urban areas, according to a report by the United Nations Development Programme.
The disparity leaves rural communities with limited access
to reliable electricity, affecting health care, education, businesses and
household livelihoods. UNDP said nearly 90% of those with access to the
national grid are concentrated in urban areas, while remote communities remain
largely underserved.
Afghanistan’s electricity problems are also linked to the
country’s heavy dependence on imported power. UNDP says domestic electricity
generation remains insufficient to meet demand, with more than 75% of the country’s
electricity supplied by neighboring countries. Imported electricity covers only
about 40% of demand, contributing to frequent and prolonged power outages,
particularly during winter.
The shortages are particularly serious for hospitals and
schools. UNDP said some public facilities that are connected to the grid
receive less than six hours of electricity a day, while health facilities in
some areas have experienced shutdowns lasting several hours.
The energy deficit is also a barrier to economic activity.
Businesses and households in areas without reliable grid electricity often
depend on generators and other costly sources of power, increasing operating
costs and limiting opportunities for local economic growth.
Expanding the national grid to remote parts of Afghanistan
remains difficult, prompting UNDP and other organizations to turn increasingly
to decentralized renewable energy, particularly solar power.
UNDP says it has installed solar photovoltaic systems at
health facilities, schools and businesses in underserved areas. Its renewable
energy programs are also designed to provide more reliable electricity while
reducing dependence on diesel generators and other expensive fuels.
The agency says renewable energy could help close
Afghanistan’s electricity gap because the country has substantial untapped
solar, wind and hydropower potential. UNDP estimates Afghanistan has the
potential for about 222,000 megawatts of solar power and 67,000 megawatts of
wind power.
For Afghanistan’s rural communities, the challenge is not
simply gaining access to electricity but gaining access to power that is
reliable and affordable. UNDP argues that decentralized solar systems could
provide a practical alternative where extending the national grid is too costly
or difficult.
UNDP’s current energy programs are targeting hundreds of
public facilities that either lack grid connections or receive inadequate
electricity. Under its Sustainable Energy Services for Education and Health in
Afghanistan project, 1,347 health and education facilities across 19 provinces
are targeted for renewable energy and energy-efficiency improvements.
