The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has announced that Afghanistan imports about 80 percent of its electricity, with more than 90 percent of those imports coming from Central Asian countries and the remainder supplied by Iran.
The organization reported on Tuesday, June 2, that Afghanistan remains heavily dependent on imported energy, making the country vulnerable to energy crises.
According to the report, only 35 to 40 percent of Afghanistan’s population has access to the national power grid. This figure is around 90 percent in urban areas but only 10 percent in rural regions.
The organization added that nearly all Afghans rely on wood or coal for cooking and heating, a practice that has contributed to deforestation, air pollution, and increased vulnerability to climate change.
The UNDP stated that although many projects were halted in 2021, some energy initiatives have resumed, and projects such as CASA-1000 and TAPI are currently at various stages of implementation.
The organization further noted that Afghanistan has significant renewable energy potential, much of which remains untapped.
The UNDP said that proper utilization of these resources could meet the country’s energy needs many times over and, in the long term, could transform Afghanistan into an energy-exporting country.
