Electricity in Afghanistan in 2022

As of 2022, Afghanistan is heavily reliant on electricity imports, with more than 5.88 TWh of net imports. The local generation infrastructure provides a very limited share of the necessary electricity, and most of it is from fossil fuels, leading to significant challenges such as energy insecurity and pollution. On a per capita basis, Afghanistan’s electricity consumption is significantly lower than the global average of 432 watts per person, underscoring how drastically underpowered the country is. This low level of electricity generation can stymie economic growth, limit access to modern healthcare and education, and exacerbate poverty and unemployment.

Suggestions

To improve its low-carbon electricity generation, Afghanistan could look into establishing more wind and solar farms, as well as considering the adoption of nuclear power. Learning from the People's Republic of China, which generated an impressive 886 TWh from wind and 584 TWh from solar, Afghanistan could tap into its wind and solar potential to significantly increase its green energy output. Additionally, nuclear power generation could be an excellent strategy, inspired by countries like the United States, France, and India, which generated 775 TWh, 336 TWh, and 48 TWh respectively from nuclear sources. A balanced mix of wind, solar, and nuclear can provide a stable and sustainable electricity supply, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and imports.

History

The history of low-carbon electricity in Afghanistan has been predominantly characterized by hydroelectric power, with fluctuating contributions over the years. In the early 1990s, hydroelectric capacity saw modest declines, with reductions of 0.1 TWh each in 1991, 1992, and 1995. A slight improvement began in the early 2000s, with small increases like 0.2 TWh in 2001 and incremental changes continuing until 2014. However, recent years have again shown a downturn, with declines of 0.1 TWh in 2018 and 2019, and 0.2 TWh in 2020. This inconsistency in hydroelectric generation highlights the need for a more diversified and stable low-carbon energy strategy.

Electricity Imports and Exports

Balance of Trade

Data Sources