Uruzgan Residents Complain Costly Electricity

TARINKOT (Pajhwok): Some residents in northern Uruzgan province have complained against the high rate of electricity in the province and said they were unable to purchase it.

One kilowatt of electricity produced from diesel cost over 40 afs. Imported electricity which is economical has not yet extended to Uruzgan and people used diesel to produce electricity.

Shafiullah, a resident of Tarinkot city, the capital of Uruzgan, said that he used the electricity in his house, which cost him about 8,000 Afs in just one month.

According to him, they were unable to meet their expenses therefore, they are now using solar power in their house.

Similarly, Musa Jan, another resident of Tarinkot city and shopkeeper, said that due to the high price and lack of electricity, he has been forced to use generators.

Similarly, Samiullah, a resident of the fourth district of Tarinkot city, said that the government should reduce the price of diesel electricity in the province and supply imported electricity to them.

Mullah Sifatullah Inam, the head of the electricity department, told Pajhwok Afghan News that the current price of electricity ranged from 28 Afghanis to 42 Afghanis.

According to him, these prices vary for private homes, commercial markets, government and other institutions.

He said efforts were being made to transmit electricity from Kajaki Dam to Dehrawood district of the province, and the work of extending the line has been completed by 45 percent.

He said:“A survey has also been conducted to extend a 220-volt line from the Kandahar substation to Tarinkot, but its practical work has been delayed due to lack of budget.”

Inam added that 25 acres of land had been allocated in Tarinkot city for the construction of a 3-megawatt solar power network in Uruzgan and a survey has been conducted, but other work has not yet begun.

Hafiz Samiullah Ikrimah, a spokesman for the provincial governor, told Pajhwok Afghan News that efforts have been launched to activate solar and imported electricity at the provincial level.

He said:“A survey has also been conducted to extend imported electricity lines from Kandahar and Helmand provinces, but since the route to extend the lines from Kandahar is shorter and cheaper than from Kajaki, it has been decided to transfer imported electricity from neighboring Kandahar.”

Officials in Uruzgan did not respond to public complaints about the increase in the price of state-owned diesel electricity.

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