Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar inaugurated a 43.2 MW wind power and 5 MW solar power generation project in Herat today.
According to information from the Press Office of the Deputy PM’s Economic Committee to Bakhtar News Agency, Mullah Baradar said at the inauguration ceremony: “Today we witnessed the opening of two important wind and solar power projects in Herat province, which mark significant achievements in the expansion, modernization and self-sufficiency of the country’s energy sector.”
The Deputy PM added that Afghanistan has long been dependent on imported electricity, with a large portion of the national budget spent annually on electricity imports. He noted that imported electricity is both expensive and unreliable in the long term.
Deputy PM Mullah Baradar stated that the Islamic Emirate is focusing on properly utilizing domestic capacities in the energy sector and making serious efforts in this regard. He emphasized that these projects will not only increase power generation capacity but also contribute to economic growth, job creation, encouragement of domestic and foreign investment, and infrastructure development.
The Deputy PM reassured all domestic and foreign investors that the Islamic Emirate has created favorable conditions and a transparent, secure environment for investment in various sectors, particularly energy.
Mullah Baradar urged the contracting companies of these projects to implement their work properly while observing accepted standards.
It’s worth noting that the 43.2 MW wind power project received over $64 million in investment from the private sector and Afghanistan’s power company, while about $3.5 million was invested in the 5 MW solar power project.
