ASHGABAT (TCA) — As it was informed at the video conference on July 23, the launch ceremony of power line Rabat-Kashan—Kalay-Nau would be held later this month with the participation of the President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani. Implementation of this important project will give the impulse to economic development of Turkmenistan’s Bathyz province and neighboring regions of Afghanistan, particularly to the construction of new living and social facilities, state Turkmen media reported.
“I congratulate you on the solemn commissioning of the Rabat-Kashan—Kalay-Nau 110 kV power line, the result of effective cooperation between Turkmenistan and the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan that is based on the principles of friendship, brotherhood and good-neighborliness,” Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov said in an address to participants of the opening ceremony of the Rabat-Kashan–Kalay-Nau power line.
For many years, Turkmenistan has been cooperating with the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan in various fields, including the power sector, the President said. Millions of kilowatt-hours of Turkmen electricity have already been sent to the neighboring country along the Imamnazar–Andkhoy and Serhetabat–Herat routes, thus contributing to the improvement of social and living conditions of Afghan consumers, the opening of new productions and creation of jobs.
“The Rabat-Kashan–Kalay-Nau power line that is being commissioned today is yet another example of constructive steps taken by Turkmenistan towards boosting supplies of electric energy to neighboring countries. In addition to the existing Imamnazar–Andkhoy and Serhetabat–Herat lines, the new power line will become the first to deliver additional volumes of electricity along the Kerki–Hamyap–Garkyn, Marchak (Turkmenistan)–Marchak (Afghanistan) and Rabat-Kashan–Kalay-Nau routes. Its capacity will reach 100 megawatts per hour. Commissioning of these power lines will help boost electricity supplies to different provinces of Afghanistan,” the Turkmen president said.
He added that diversification of supply routes for Turkmen electric energy and natural gas is one of the founding principles of Turkmenistan’s energy policy.