The Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan are two countries in Central Asia endowed with some of the world’s most abundant clean hydropower resources. With summer rainfall and water flow, both countries have a surplus of electricity during the summer. Nearby in South Asia, Afghanistan and Pakistan suffer from chronic electricity shortages while trying to keep pace with a fast-growing demand. Pakistan cannot meet its citizens’ electricity needs, especially during the sweltering summer months, leading to frequent power cuts that hurt industrial production, sometimes close small businesses, and lead to job losses. Meanwhile, millions of people still live without electricity altogether.

A new electricity transmission system to connect all four countries, called the CASA-1000 project, will make the most efficient use of clean hydropower resources in the Central Asian countries by enabling them to transfer and sell their electricity surplus during the summer months to the deficient countries in South Asia. The CASA-1000 project also complements the countries’ efforts to improve electricity access, integrate and expand markets to increase trade, and find sustainable solutions to water resource management.

Financing and Building the CASA-1000 System

The $1.2 billion CASA-1000 project will bring 1300 megawatts (MW) of seasonal power from Tajikistan and the Kyrgyz Republic to Afghanistan and Pakistan. It will be a major new source of revenue in the regional electricity market, transmitting 4.6 billion kilowatt hours (kWh)/year.
Funding for CASA-1000 project construction is provided by a consortium of international development institutions including the World Bank, Islamic Development Bank, European Investment Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (UK). The US Agency for International Development provides funding support for the CASA-1000 Secretariat.
Construction of the CASA-1000 Transmission System started in 2018 and has continued in all CASA-1000 member countries, focusing on five major components:
• 485 km of 500 kV power transmission line from Datka, Kyrgyz Republic to Sugd, Tajikistan for transmission of Kyrgyz electricity exports.
• 115 km of 500 kV power transmission line between the Regar and Sangtuda substations in Tajikistan, with associated grid improvements.
• A 1,300 Megawatt (MW) Converter Station at Sangtuda, Tajikistan.
• 785 km High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) power transmission line from Sangtuda, Tajikistan to Nowshera, Pakistan.
• A 1,300 MW Converter Station at Nowshera, Pakistan.