Several Kabul residents are complaining about overcharging on electricity bills issued by the Breshna Company under Taliban control. They say that in recent months, despite a reduction in their electricity consumption, the amount of their bills has increased significantly compared to the past. According to them, the cost of electricity does not match the level of consumption, and paying for it under the current circumstances has become difficult for many families. These residents add that some families have limited their use of electrical appliances to cut costs, but this measure has had no significant effect on reducing the amount of their electricity bills.
Several Kabul residents, in conversation with the Hasht-e Subh Daily, emphasize that many families are facing reduced incomes and livelihood difficulties and are unable to pay the high electricity bills. They are calling on officials of the Breshna Company under Taliban control to bring greater transparency to the billing calculation process and to address citizens’ complaints.
Husna, one of the Kabul residents, complains about the rising cost of electricity. She says that despite limiting the use of electrical appliances in recent months, her family’s electricity bill has increased significantly. According to her, this increase has placed greater pressure on families amid the current difficult economic conditions.
This woman, who heads a household of nine, says: “Previously, our electricity bill came to about 800 Afghanis at most, but in the past two months it has reached around 2,000 Afghanis. We do not have many electrical appliances, and we have even limited the use of the ones we do have, yet there has been no change in the amount of the electricity bill. We can barely cover our living expenses, and we consider this cost increase unfair.”
Zabih, another Kabul resident, says that his electricity bill has also increased over the past two months compared to previous months. He adds that his family’s electricity consumption is not particularly high, but the amount of the bill remains at a level that is unjustifiable for them. According to him, this situation has heightened his family’s concerns.
This Kabul resident says: “Every year, as summer arrives, the electricity situation becomes more critical and outages increase. In recent days, power cuts have also become more frequent. Even though our family consists of only three people and we do not use much electricity, our bill usually comes to between 400 and 500 Afghanis and does not go lower than that. We expect that, alongside improvements in electricity services, there should also be greater transparency in calculating the costs.”
Tariq, one of the Kabul residents, says that the Breshna Company, under Taliban control,l is collecting larger sums from citizens to pay for purchasing electricity from neighboring countries. He adds that this situation has increased the economic pressure on people.
This Kabul resident says: “In the past, our electricity bill usually came to between 500 and 800 Afghanis, but this time it has reached nearly 2,000 Afghanis. In my view, changes have been made in the way the bills are calculated. Previously, the cost of electricity was calculated at a lower level, but now, with rising rates, the amount of the bills has also become far higher. On the other hand, with the weather warming and electricity consumption increasing, outages have also become more frequent, and in some areas, the power is connected for a few hours and then cut for a few hours. People expect that, alongside improvements in electricity services, there should also be greater transparency regarding how the bills are calculated.”
Fereydoun, another Kabul resident, says that the issue of electricity bills holds great importance under the current circumstances, especially in an era when the use of electrical appliances in daily life has increased. He adds that despite people’s dependence on electricity, rising poverty and declining incomes have made it difficult for many families to pay the monthly electricity bill. According to him, rate increases or the unclear calculation of electricity bills have worsened people’s economic problems and increased the financial pressure on families.
Fereydoun says: “The issue of rising electricity bills is very important under the current circumstances, especially in an era when everything has become dependent on electricity, and the use of electrical appliances in daily life has increased. People have no choice but to use electricity, and it cannot be eliminated from their lives. While Afghanistan is facing a crisis of poverty and declining incomes, paying the monthly electricity bill has become difficult for many families. In recent years, poverty has increased, and people’s incomes have decreased, but electricity costs have remained high. In a situation where people have no other option for supplying energy, rate increases, or the uncertainty in calculating electricity bills have created many problems and placed a heavy economic burden on families.”
Afghanistan supplies the major part of its required electricity from neighboring countries, including Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Iran, and Tajikistan. According to a report by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR), about 80 percent of the country’s required electricity is supplied from abroad, and Afghanistan spends nearly 220 million dollars annually to purchase electricity.
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the World Bank had also previously reported that the political crisis following the Taliban takeover, along with sanctions and economic restrictions, has reduced investment in the energy sector and intensified the problems of electricity supply.
Meanwhile, the city of Kabul needs several hundred megawatts of electricity, but at present, only about 350 megawatts are available on the grid.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
