Afghan President Ashraf Ghani on Thursday launched the practical work for CASA-1000, by laying the foundation stone in Surobi district of Kabul province.
The project is expected to transmit 1,300 megawatts of electricity from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan through Afghanistan to Pakistan.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Ghani said that economic cooperation benefits all, adding that Afghanistan would become an intersection of regional electricity.
Meanwhile, head of Afghanistan’s national utility Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat, said that CASA-1000 could help political stability.
Amanullah Ghalib said that Afghanistan would get 45-50 million US dollars annually for transit.
He said that Pakistan would get reliable and cheap electricity after completion of the project, which is expected to cost $225 million financed by the World Bank.
The project’s route covers Kunduz, Baghlan, Panjshir, Kapisa, Kabul, Laghman and Nangarhar provinces.
The project is estimated to be completed in 2022 and is executed by two Indian companies.
