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U.S. Government Builds A State-of- the-Art Power Control Center in Kabul

24 August 2011 | Kabul, Afghanistan

Barat Ali Batoor/US Embassy

(Left to Right) Acting Minister of Energy and Water Ismail Khan, Minister of Finance Omar Zakhilwal, USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah, DABS Chief Executive Officer Abdul Razique Samadi and U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker inaugurate the National Load Control Center at Tarakhil Power Plant near Kabul.

During today’s ceremony at the Tarakhil Power Plant near Kabul, a state-of-the art National Load Control Center has been officially transferred to the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Ryan Crocker, USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah, Mission Director Ken Yamashita, Acting Minister of Energy and Water Mohammad Ismail Khan, and Chief Executive Officer of Da Breshna Afghanistan (DABS) Abdul Razique Samadi took part in the official handover ceremony.

The National Load Control Center is a USAID-funded project, which enables the control of Afghanistan’s entire North East Power System (NEPS) and ensures the supply of reliable and affordable energy to meet the needs of more than 600,000 of industrial, commercial and residential users.

“I want to thank the the United States Government for helping Afghanistan strengthen the safety and reliability of our North East Power System,” said Ismail Khan, Acting Minister of Energy and Water. “This impressively modern load center is another proof that Afghanistan has definitely gotten out of the dark ages and on the road to prosperity.”

At the event today, the United States also signed a Statement of Collaboration on Power Transmission, Expansion and Connectivity with the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Energy and Water, and DABS, the national utility company to implement U.S. Government-funded Power Transmission Expansion and Connectivity Program (PTEC). This is a $1.2 billion four year on-budget program designed to modernize Afghanistan’s generation, transmission, and distribution infrastructures.

“These foundational investments – including major power infrastructure projects – are building the economic and governance tools to allow the Afghans to manage and fund their own future,” said Ambassador Crocker.

During his speech, Administrator Shah emphasized that United States Development Agency will continue to support significant infrastructure investments in Afghanistan. “Our collaboration today will help build a solid foundation for Afghan ownership over critical infrastructure and enable an energy-secure future for the Afghan people,” said Dr. Shah.

2011.08.24 Press Release National Load Control Center (Dari)

2011.08.24 Press Release National Load Control Center (English)

Learn more: Infrastructure

About this activity: Afghanistan Infrastructure and Rehabilitation Program (AIRP) - General Management and Administration

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