DUSHANBE, (TDI) — Tajikistan has confirmed that the CASA-1000 power transmission project will become operational by 2027, linking the energy systems of Central and South Asia to facilitate electricity exports to Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Tajikistan’s Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Daler Juma, announced the development during a press conference, stating that construction on the Tajik and Kyrgyz sections has been completed, and both countries’ power grids will be connected in the coming days. He further noted that work on Pakistan’s portion of the project is progressing well and is expected to be finalized by mid-2025.
A key hurdle in the project had been the temporary suspension of funding for the Afghan segment by international development partners.
However, after prolonged negotiations emphasizing the strategic importance of CASA-1000, the funding ban was lifted, and construction in Afghanistan is now scheduled for completion by 2026.
CASA-1000, a regional initiative launched to integrate the electricity networks of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, has been in development since 2007.
In 2008, a feasibility study was commissioned, which was completed in 2011, outlining the project’s potential to export surplus hydropower from Central Asia to energy-deficient South Asian markets.
Under the agreement, Kyrgyzstan will contribute 40% of the electricity supplied through CASA-1000, while Tajikistan will provide the remaining 60%. Both countries plan to export surplus hydropower generated during the summer months.
However, domestic electricity demand has surged in recent years, with Kyrgyzstan experiencing record-high consumption levels in December and Tajikistan continuing to impose winter power rationing in rural areas.
Despite these challenges, CASA-1000 remains a significant initiative for regional energy cooperation, offering economic benefits and strengthening interconnectivity between Central and South Asia.