The Ambassadors of Turkmenistan and Pakistan to Afghanistan Khoja Ovezov and Mansur Ahmad Khan discussed the economic cooperation and practical implementation of the TAP-500 kV transmission line project in Kabul on February 6.

As the Embassy of Turkmenistan in Kabul reported on Twitter today, following the meeting, the parties signed a protocol according to which Turkmenistan will undertake construction and installation work at the Nur al-Jihad substation to implement the transmission line project through Afghanistan to Pakistan and increase the volume of electricity supplied from Turkmenistan on the basis of existing agreements.

To recap, last month, in Kabul, representatives of Turkmenistan and the Afghan Energy Company Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) signed an agreement to increase the power line capacity for the Nur al-Jihad substation from 110 kV to 220 kV. These works will be carried out by Çalik Enerji, the general contractor and investor in the construction of Turkmenistan–Afghanistan-Pakistan (TAP) power transmission lines.

According to the documents signed earlier, Çalyk Holding will invest US$ 1.6 billion in this project. According to it, Afghanistan and Pakistan will receive 1,000 MW of Turkmen electricity annually. In addition, its transit through the Afghan territory will annually bring $100 million to Afghanistan.

Turkmenistan has been supplying electricity to Afghanistan on preferential terms for many years. In September last year, a gas turbine power plant with a capacity of 432 MW was put into operation in the Chardjev District of the Lebap Region, which will increase the volume of electricity supplies to the countries of Central Asia, as well as to Afghanistan.