Energy trade between Central and South Asia gets $526m boost

The World Bank has approved a grant worth $526.5 million (£316.5m) for a project that will enable energy trade between Central Asia and South Asia. The funding will help finance […]

The World Bank has approved a grant worth $526.5 million (£316.5m) for a project that will enable energy trade between Central Asia and South Asia.

The funding will help finance the Central Asia South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project (CASA-1000) for four countries – Afghanistan, Kyrgyz Republic, Pakistan and Tajikistan.

The CASA-1000 project will build more than 1,200 kilometres of electricity transmission lines and sub-stations to transmit excess hydropower energy from existing power stations in Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan to Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The World Bank will also provide country-specific community support programmes.

Sri Mulyani Indrawati, World Bank Managing Director and Chief Operating Officer said: “These four countries are demonstrating strong regional cooperation by addressing their energy challenges together. CASA-1000 is a transformational project that will give a much-needed boost to energy security, improved connectivity and trade across two regions at a critical time.”

Nearly 400 million people in South Asia still lack reliable access to electricity.

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