DUSHANBE, January 28, 2016, Asia-Plus – Heads of the CASA 1000 participating countries are expected to gather in Dushanbe in May to attend a launching ceremony of the regional power transmission project.
According to the Tajik Minister of Energy and Water Resources Usmonali Usmonzoda, the presidents of Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan and Pakistan have adopted President Rahmon’s proposal to hold the launching ceremony in Dushanbe.
“All necessary documents were signed by the four countries last year,” the minister told reporters in Dushanbe on January 27.
The Central Asia South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade (Casa-1000) Project demonstrates landmark cooperation among Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. The modern and efficient CASA-1000 electricity transmission system will help transform the region and signify an important step toward realizing the planned Central Asia-South Asia Regional Electricity Market (CASAREM). The CASAREM initiative will help not only these four countries, but also improve the electricity systems and develop inter-regional cooperation between Central Asia and South Asia.
A high level Inter-Governmental Council has been established to help make CASA-1000 happen and regional cooperation in the first phases of the project has been excellent. Through the Inter-Governmental Council, the countries are working together to make decisions about project implementation and operation, common policies and rules, and use consistent technical, safety, and environmental standards. They are also planning consultations with the public and a wide-ranging community benefit-sharing plan.
The CASA 1000 project is scheduled to be completed in 2020. The total cost of the project amounts to more than $1 billion.
The Project is expected to develop the necessary physical infrastructure and create the institutional and legal framework to transmit surplus power available from existing generation facilities in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to Afghanistan and Pakistan. The physical infrastructure for CASA 1000 is likely to include: a 500 kV high voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system between Tajikistan and Pakistan through Afghanistan; an AC transmission link from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to connect to the HVDC line from Tajikistan to South Asia; and the necessary electricity sub-stations in Kabul, Peshawar and Sangtuda (in Tajikistan).
