Two Indian companies will build Afghanistan’s part of the Central Asia South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade (Casa-1000) Project.
An agreement on construction of Afghanistan’s section of CASA-1000 power transmission line was singed in the Afghan capital, Kabul, recently, according to the Ministry of energy and Water Resources (MoEWR) of Tajikistan.
An official source at a MoEWR says the document was inked by representatives of Afghan National Power Company Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat and India’s KEC International Limited and Kalpataru Power Transmission Limited (KPTL).
The ceremony was attended by Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, Afghan CEO Abdullah Abdullah as well as representatives of the World Bank and nations participating in the CASA 1000 Project.
Tajikistan was represented by Deputy Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Jamshed Shoimzoda.
KEC International Limited, the flagship company of RPG Group is a global infrastructure Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) major. It has presence in the verticals of Power Transmission & Distribution, Cables, Railways, Civil and Renewables. The Company has reportedly powered infrastructure development in 63 countries across Africa, Americas, Central Asia, Middle East, South Asia and South East Asia.
Kalpataru Power Transmission Limited (KPTL) is amongst the largest players firmly entrenched in the global power transmission and infrastructure EPC space. KPTL today has reportedly established its footprints in over 40 countries, executing marquee projects with comprehensive capabilities that deliver complete solutions covering design, testing, fabrication, erection and construction of transmission lines, oil and gas infrastructure and railways projects on a turnkey basis. KPTL is part of the Kalpataru Group established in 1969. It is a diversified conglomerate spanning Real Estate, Power Generation and Transmission, Construction of Roads, Factories, Buildings and Oil and Gas Infrastructure and Agri-Logistics spaces.
The CASA-1000 project aims at developing energy corridor and land connectivity between Tajikistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan.
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.
The CASA 1000 project is scheduled to be completed in 2020. The total cost of the project amounts to 1.7 billion U.S. dollars.
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 includes: 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).
