Afghanistan: Power disruptions occurring in several areas, including Kabul, as of Oct. 14

Event

Officials at state-run utility provider Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS) report that electricity supply to Kabul and multiple other provinces is disrupted as of Oct. 14. The disruptions, which began late Oct. 13, are due to technical issues in Baghlan Province affecting supply from Uzbekistan. Officials are working to restore electricity. It is unclear when power supply will be restored.

Diplomatic missions, government buildings, upscale hotels and restaurants, larger companies, and airports that generally rely on private generators are unlikely to be directly affected by the power outage; however, smaller businesses may be forced to shut down. Traffic disruptions are possible in Kabul as traffic lights may not function in affected parts of the city. Security and water filtration systems dependent on local power infrastructure may also be affected.

Context

Afghanistan imports 450 megawatts of power from Uzbekistan, including approximately 300 megawatts supplied to Kabul. As Afghanistan has an inadequate domestic power supply of 160 megawatts, the unavailability of imported electricity is likely to cause power outages across Afghanistan in the coming days. Winter-related heating requirements also typically increase domestic demand in supplier nations through at least January, affecting power supply to Afghanistan.

Advice

Confirm all business appointments in Kabul and other affected areas, as well as the functioning of security systems. Allow additional time for travel in urban areas, treat any malfunctioning traffic light as a four-way stop, and plan for commercial disruptions.