VZCZCXRO8124
RR RUEHDBU RUEHLN RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHAH #0450/01 1181200
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 281200Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY ASHGABAT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7273
INFO RUCNCIS/CIS COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC//DHO-2/REA/NMJIC-J2//
RHMFIUU/CDR USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL//CCJ5-E//
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC//J5/RUE//
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 1627
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0344
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1163

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ASHGABAT 000450 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/CEN (PERRY) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EPET ECON EFIN ENRG ETRD PGOV PREL TX
SUBJECT:  Turkmenistan Agrees to Energize Afghanistan 
 
 
Summary 
------- 
 
¶1.   (U) The Afghan power delegation headed by 
Afghanistan Power and Water Resources Minister, the 
former Governor of Herat, Muhammad Ismail signed a 
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with President Niyazov 
for delivery of an additional 330 MW of electricity per 
year on April 24 in Ashgabat.  The GOTX agreed to upgrade 
and construct the necessary infrastructure to expand the 
power network to additional Afghanistani towns and 
cities.  The financial details of the deal were not 
disclosed, however Niyazov announced that Turkmenistan 
will write off half of Afghanistan's current debt to 
Turkmenistan as a gesture of goodwill.  The Afghanistani 
debt for previous power supplies is believed to be around 
$8 million.  End Summary. 
 
Niyazov Promises More Power 
--------------------------- 
 
¶2.   (SBU) The Turkmenistani media focused reporting on 
the ambitious Turkmenistan-Herat-Kandahar-Kabul-Mazar-e- 
Sharif-Herat power loop.  Although Niyazov proposed to 
increase Turkmenistani exports to neighboring Afghanistan 
to 800 MW, no specific improvements in the Herat grid 
were discussed.  The priority for the GOA is the North 
East Transmission System (NETS) that is designed to bring 
power produced by Afghanistan's Shabirgan power plant -- 
supported by imported power from Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan 
and Tajikistan -- to the northern and eastern regions of 
Afghanistan.  The proposed link is most likely connected 
to the $6.6 million 102 km Serhetabad (Turkmenistan)- 
Turghundi-Herat transmission line that is capable of 
transmitting 200 MW.  The 2004 Turkmenistan-built link 
has a 220 kV capacity, but it is currently operating at 
110 kV.  The two governments agreed that Turkmenistani 
experts will work to resolve the imminent voltage 
upgrade. 
 
¶3.   (U) The signed MOU envisages the extension of 110 kV 
power lines from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan's Maruchak 
and Kalay-Nau cities in Badghis province and to Hamiyab 
and Karkin cities in Jawzjan province.  The extensions 
will increase power from 40 MW to approximately 70 MW. 
 
¶4.   (SBU) The GOTX also committed to spend its own funds 
to build an ADDITIONAL dual-circuit 220 kV link from the 
Turkmenabad or Mary power stations in Turkmenistan to the 
Afghan border to ultimately connect to Shabirgan and 
deliver up to 300 MW of power.  The GOA will then link 
the Shabirgan substation to the Turkmenistan border.  The 
city of Shabirgan already receives 165 MW via the 110 kV 
line Imamnazar- Andhoy- Shabirgan built in 2002.  Both 
sides agreed that the capacity of the line needs to be 
increased to in order to supply additional power to the 
city of Maymene. 
 
Debt Relief Aids Afghanistan's Power Sector 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5.   (SBU) The exact amount of Afghanistan's debt was not 
officially disclosed, but USAID Energy Group Expert and 
Afghanistan power delegation member Thomas Hayes said 
that it is around $8 million.  Turkmenistan's official 
Russian-language newspaper Neytralny Turkmenistan 
reported on April 25, that the money from the repayment 
of the Afghan debt will be directed towards construction 
of power facilities on the Turkmen-Afghan border. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
¶6.   (SBU) Turkmenistan is currently exporting about 1.3 
MW a year, including 599 MW to Iran and 535 MW to Turkey. 
At the current Turkmenistan-Afghanistan power price: $ 
.02/KWh, Turkmenistan's potential annual revenue from 
Afghanistan could reach $9.8 million (based on 490 MW 
 
ASHGABAT 00000450  002 OF 002 
 
 
Afghan import assumption).  Total power production in 
2005 was 12.8 MW.  The GOTX is most likely interested in 
extending power supplies to Pakistan to reach a deeper 
customer base.  End Comment. 
 
JACOBSON