KABUL: Da Afghanistan Breshna Shirkat (DABS) on Sunday announced increasing by 25 percent electricity tariff in capital Kabul and 13 provinces, citing the afghani’s depreciation against the US dollar.
Wahidullah Tawhidi, DABS spokesman, told a press conference here the increase in power tariff would be effective from the month of Hamal of the current solar year.
He said the hike in power tariff would be implemented besides Kabul in Baghlan, Nangarhar, Laghman, Parwan, Kapisa, Balkh, Faryab, Sar-i-Pul, Kunduz, Samangan, Jawzjan, Nimroz and Heart as all these provinces consumed imported power.
He linked the hike in power price to the depreciation of the afghani against the US dollar and the purchase of the power from the exporting countries in dollars.
Tawhidi said Afghanistan purchased a kilowatt of electricity for nine cents (of a dollar) from Iran, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan, amounting to $220-270 million annually.
“As we make payment in dollars, last year the value of one US dollar against afghani was 58 afs and current year it has reached up to 68 afs… therefore, we lost $ 18 million last year and if the losses continue this year, DABS will not be able to maintain the situation.”
One dollar cost 68.35 afs on Sunday in Sarai Shazadah, a money exchange market, in Kabul, compared to last year’s 64.30 afs.
