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Shafaq News
a day ago
- Politics
- Shafaq News
Taliban deepens Iran's water woes with new dam
Shafaq News – Kabul / Tehran The Taliban government inaugurated a major dam in western Afghanistan on Tuesday, heightening Iran's concerns over dwindling water supplies. The Pashdan Dam, located 25 kilometers east of Herat and about 70 kilometers from Iran's Taybad region, cost $117 million and began storing water last year despite Tehran's objections. Senior Taliban leaders attended the launch ceremony, which Iranian media said underscores the group's determination to proceed with projects affecting shared resources. Since taking power in 2021, the Taliban has made the completion of long-delayed infrastructure projects a priority. Iranian officials accuse Kabul of pressing ahead without consultation or respect for bilateral water agreements. The Pashdan Dam Construction began in 2011 but was repeatedly stalled by political disputes and instability. After the Taliban takeover, it became one of the government's flagship projects under the Ministry of Water and Energy. With a storage capacity of 54 million cubic meters, the dam is intended to irrigate 13,000 hectares of farmland and generate 2 megawatts of electricity. At 70 meters high and 1,100 meters across, it is one of the largest water projects in western Afghanistan. Taliban officials say it will help combat drought, boost agricultural production, and create jobs in Herat province. Impact on Iran Iranian experts warn that the dam could significantly reduce the flow of the Harirud River, which crosses into northeastern Iran. The city of Mashhad—already suffering water shortages—could be particularly affected if Afghan dams continue diverting river flows. Tehran, facing one of its worst droughts in decades, accuses the Taliban of ignoring water-sharing agreements and advancing projects near the border without coordination. Afghan authorities, both past and present, have been repeatedly accused of failing to uphold river quota commitments.
Time of India
09-08-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Afghanistan faces power crisis as electricity imports drop
Afghanistan is grappling with a significant decrease in electricity imports from Tajikistan. This shortage, coupled with drought, impacts power supply in Kabul. The Breshna company uses thermal generators, incurring substantial losses. Residents face frequent power outages. Experts advocate for domestic energy investments. The Ministry of Water and Energy has signed a major deal for electricity production projects using diverse sources. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Afghanistan imports about 80 percent of its electricity from abroad, but this summer, electricity imports from Tajikistan have decreased significantly, the head of the Breshna company told Tolo Bari Omar said last summer Afghanistan imported 400 megawatts of electricity from Tajikistan, but this year the figure has dropped to between 310 and 320 megawatts."Last summer, we were importing 400 megawatts from Tajikistan, but currently we have 310 and sometimes 320 megawatts. One major reason is the shortage in imported electricity, which is a significant drop of 80 or 90 megawatts. Another reason is drought and climate change . Last year in the summer, we were getting about 102 megawatts from the Naghlu and Surobi dams," Omar told Tolo these challenges, the Breshna company has managed to supply electricity to consumers for 12 to 13 hours daily. Omar added that thermal generators have been activated to compensate for the shortfall, consuming between 200,000 to 250,000 liters of diesel during 12 hours of explained the high cost of generating thermal electricity: "Including administrative and operational costs, one kilowatt of electricity costs us 35 afghanis, but we sell it to the public at 2.5, 6, and even to traders at 14 afghanis, and to industrialists at 6 afghanis. We bear a loss in this area," Omar told Tolo electricity shortage is affecting daily life in Kabul, with many residents urging the Islamic Emirate and the Breshna company to resolve the issue. Saqibullah, a Kabul resident, said: "Most of the time, there is no electricity. The power problems are very serious. Often, there is no electricity at all. If it comes, it's for a very short time."Another resident, Barakatullah, added: "We ask Breshna to solve the electricity issues so that in the future there will be no power shortages."Economic experts emphasize the need for large-scale investment in domestic energy production to resolve the crisis. Mir Shakir Yaqubi told Tolo News: "There is a need to prepare platforms for major investments within the country. Some incentive packages should be considered for investors, and opportunities should be provided for investing in electricity production sources."Recently, the Ministry of Water and Energy signed an agreement with a local private company for electricity production projects totaling 10,000 megawatts, valued at 10 billion US dollars, Tolo News reported. The projects aim to develop electricity from solar, coal, water, wind, and gas sources.
