Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09KABUL1088
2009-04-29 13:50:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Kabul
Cable title:
AFGHANISTAN: GOVERNMENT AND DONOR COORDINATED EFFORTS BRING
how-toVZCZCXRO2061 PP RUEHDBU RUEHIK RUEHPOD RUEHPW RUEHYG DE RUEHBUL #1088 1191350 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 291350Z APR 09 FM AMEMBASSY KABUL TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8671 INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC 0792 RUCNAFG/AFGHANISTAN COLLECTIVE RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE RUEABND/DEA HQS WASHINGTON DC RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 0018
UNCLAS KABUL 001088
DEPT FOR SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/RA, AND SCA/A
DEPT PASS FOR AID/ASIA
DEPT PASS USTR FOR DELANEY AND DEANGELIS
DEPT PASS OPIC
DEPT PASS FOR TDA FOR STEIN AND GREENIP
USOECD FOR ENERGY ATTACHE
CENTCOM FOR CSTC-A
NSC FOR JWOOD
TREASURY FOR MHIRSON, ABAUKOL, BDAHL, AND MNUGET
DASD FOR DSEDNEY
COMMERCE FOR DEES AND FONOVICH
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958 N/A
TAGS: ENRG EFIN ETRD KPWR EAID PGOV
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: GOVERNMENT AND DONOR COORDINATED EFFORTS BRING
MORE POWER TO KABUL
UNCLAS KABUL 001088
DEPT FOR SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/RA, AND SCA/A
DEPT PASS FOR AID/ASIA
DEPT PASS USTR FOR DELANEY AND DEANGELIS
DEPT PASS OPIC
DEPT PASS FOR TDA FOR STEIN AND GREENIP
USOECD FOR ENERGY ATTACHE
CENTCOM FOR CSTC-A
NSC FOR JWOOD
TREASURY FOR MHIRSON, ABAUKOL, BDAHL, AND MNUGET
DASD FOR DSEDNEY
COMMERCE FOR DEES AND FONOVICH
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958 N/A
TAGS: ENRG EFIN ETRD KPWR EAID PGOV
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: GOVERNMENT AND DONOR COORDINATED EFFORTS BRING
MORE POWER TO KABUL
1. (U) Summary. Continued progress in the building and
rehabilitation of Afghanistan's energy transmission and distribution
infrastructure will soon result in additional power reaching Kabul.
The North East Power System (NEPS) will handle the additional import
of Uzbek power after a joint government/donor coordinated effort
successfully energizes and commissions a new 220kV transmission
line. End Summary.
2. (U) Since late January, Kabul has been receiving 40MW of
electricity from Uzbekistan through an "extension cord" devised and
implemented by various donors (including USAID) to alleviate harsh
winter conditions at the behest of the Inter-Ministerial Commission
on Energy (ICE). This transmission operates through older 110kV
infrastructure and originates from the Amu substation in Uzbekistan,
bypassing the new distribution network of the NEPS, which operates
at 220kV. Beginning this week, a team consisting of various
personnel from the Ministry of Energy and Water, DABS (national
electric utility),and donor funded contractors will "energize" the
new 220kV transmission network originating at the Surkhan substation
(Uzbekistan) and ending in Kabul. Once this process is completed,
an additional 50-90MW of power will be delivered to Kabul.
3. (SBU) Preparations to energize NEPS have been under way for the
past two months in order to ensure safe transmission and little or
no disruption of power to Kabul or Mazar-e-Sharif. The process
involves hot testing and commissioning of each segment/substation
independently and sequentially. The energization process is
particularly difficult because portions of the NEPS have not been
completed, necessitating various technical workarounds. To execute
the 220kV commissioning, the 110 kV supply must be shut off,
effectively reducing the power Kabul now receives by 40MW. Expected
to begin as early as April 30, the shut off is projected to last
five days. However, actual duration will be governed by technical
problems encountered during the energization process.
4. (SBU) Kabul residents have grown accustomed to increased
electricity supply (average 12-16 hours daily) since the inception
of the "extension cord". Diesel fuel (provided using USAID funding)
has been stockpiled at the NW Kabul diesel generation plant to
replace the power that will be lost during the energization process.
There is sufficient diesel fuel at NW Kabul for up to 20 days of
operation.
5. (SBU) Comment. Additional energy supply to Kabul will
undoubtedly improve city morale and provide additional impetus to
enhanced economic activity. Nevertheless, additional electricity
translates to larger payments to the Uzbeks, compelling DABS to
reduce transmission losses and improve tariff collection
expeditiously. The U.S. Mission is supporting this reality by
funding the commercialization of Kabul's Electricity District (KED).
This proposal is currently awaiting final signature by SRAP
Ambassador Holbrooke.
RICCARDONE
DEPT FOR SRAP, SCA/FO, SCA/RA, AND SCA/A
DEPT PASS FOR AID/ASIA
DEPT PASS USTR FOR DELANEY AND DEANGELIS
DEPT PASS OPIC
DEPT PASS FOR TDA FOR STEIN AND GREENIP
USOECD FOR ENERGY ATTACHE
CENTCOM FOR CSTC-A
NSC FOR JWOOD
TREASURY FOR MHIRSON, ABAUKOL, BDAHL, AND MNUGET
DASD FOR DSEDNEY
COMMERCE FOR DEES AND FONOVICH
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958 N/A
TAGS: ENRG EFIN ETRD KPWR EAID PGOV
SUBJECT: AFGHANISTAN: GOVERNMENT AND DONOR COORDINATED EFFORTS BRING
MORE POWER TO KABUL
1. (U) Summary. Continued progress in the building and
rehabilitation of Afghanistan's energy transmission and distribution
infrastructure will soon result in additional power reaching Kabul.
The North East Power System (NEPS) will handle the additional import
of Uzbek power after a joint government/donor coordinated effort
successfully energizes and commissions a new 220kV transmission
line. End Summary.
2. (U) Since late January, Kabul has been receiving 40MW of
electricity from Uzbekistan through an "extension cord" devised and
implemented by various donors (including USAID) to alleviate harsh
winter conditions at the behest of the Inter-Ministerial Commission
on Energy (ICE). This transmission operates through older 110kV
infrastructure and originates from the Amu substation in Uzbekistan,
bypassing the new distribution network of the NEPS, which operates
at 220kV. Beginning this week, a team consisting of various
personnel from the Ministry of Energy and Water, DABS (national
electric utility),and donor funded contractors will "energize" the
new 220kV transmission network originating at the Surkhan substation
(Uzbekistan) and ending in Kabul. Once this process is completed,
an additional 50-90MW of power will be delivered to Kabul.
3. (SBU) Preparations to energize NEPS have been under way for the
past two months in order to ensure safe transmission and little or
no disruption of power to Kabul or Mazar-e-Sharif. The process
involves hot testing and commissioning of each segment/substation
independently and sequentially. The energization process is
particularly difficult because portions of the NEPS have not been
completed, necessitating various technical workarounds. To execute
the 220kV commissioning, the 110 kV supply must be shut off,
effectively reducing the power Kabul now receives by 40MW. Expected
to begin as early as April 30, the shut off is projected to last
five days. However, actual duration will be governed by technical
problems encountered during the energization process.
4. (SBU) Kabul residents have grown accustomed to increased
electricity supply (average 12-16 hours daily) since the inception
of the "extension cord". Diesel fuel (provided using USAID funding)
has been stockpiled at the NW Kabul diesel generation plant to
replace the power that will be lost during the energization process.
There is sufficient diesel fuel at NW Kabul for up to 20 days of
operation.
5. (SBU) Comment. Additional energy supply to Kabul will
undoubtedly improve city morale and provide additional impetus to
enhanced economic activity. Nevertheless, additional electricity
translates to larger payments to the Uzbeks, compelling DABS to
reduce transmission losses and improve tariff collection
expeditiously. The U.S. Mission is supporting this reality by
funding the commercialization of Kabul's Electricity District (KED).
This proposal is currently awaiting final signature by SRAP
Ambassador Holbrooke.
RICCARDONE