Afghanistan: Power cuts deepen winter hardship for Kabul residents

Kabul [Afghanistan], December 27 (ANI): Ongoing electricity outages in Kabul have worsened living conditions during the winter season, with residents appealing to authorities for a more consistent power supply, Tolo News reported.
Locals said the irregular availability of electricity has disrupted daily routines, especially at night. A Kabul resident, Omar, said, "The electricity issues are very serious. Sometimes it comes at 1 or 2 am, and then it goes off again in the middle of the night."
The power cuts have also hampered office work and services dependent on technology. Another resident, Shafiq, said, "We face many problems in the office because we rely on computers, the internet, and other technology, but we don't have electricity at all," Tolo News reported.
Economic analysts have linked the persistent outages to Afghanistan's dependence on imported electricity and limited investment in domestic power infrastructure, noting that sustainable solutions require long-term focus on local energy production.
Economic expert Mir Shakir Yaqubi said, "As long as investment is low, infrastructure will remain weak. Without processing and refining facilities inside the country, we cannot generate electricity from our own natural resources."
Meanwhile, Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), the national electricity provider, acknowledged the power shortages in Kabul and said it has activated a thermal power plant for 10 hours daily to ease the situation, according to Tolo News.
The company said the plant produces between 70 and 80 megawatts of electricity per hour and is connected to Kabul's power grid.
DABS planning director Mohammad Nasir Ahmadi said, "Fortunately, we are now providing 24-hour electricity to 60% of Kabul residents. These outages will be resolved with our ongoing projects, which are expected to be completed within the next one to two years."
Experts say rising winter demand, technical grid issues, and reliance on imported electricity continue to drive frequent power cuts in Kabul, adding that concrete long-term measures to resolve the crisis remain limited. (ANI)