Tajikistan is planning to export more than one billion kilowatt hours of electricity to Afghanistan in 2013, head of Barki Tochik state energy holding Abdullo Yerov said at a press conference in Dushanbe, CA-News reported on Tuesday.
Tajikistan annually experiences electricity shortages of about 2.5 billion kWh in the winter and has been imposing restrictions for electricity consumption in most parts of the republic which is home to 70 per cent of the population for 15 years now.
Peak times of electricity production 90 per cent of which is generated at hydropower plants, accounts for the summer period. However, due to limited export opportunities, a 'running drop' of water is made from the reservoirs in summer. The water release carried out last year was equal to 6.5 billion kWh of electricity.
"We are separated from the power system of Central Asia and cannot export the excess electricity to these countries in the summer," Yorov said.
Tajikistan currently exports electricity to Afghanistan only through high voltage 220 kV power lines. Last year, exports to the country reached 666.7 million kWh.