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KANDAHAR CITY (SW): Abdullah Abdullah, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Unity Government (NUG), on Sunday oversaw inauguration of the 10MW solar power plant in Kandahar.
He said on the occasion the project would cost $ 20 million. This USAID-funded project would see solar panels installed on 160 jeribs of land that would supply uninterrupted green electricity to the industrial park and hundreds of homes. The CEO hailed it as an exemplary project.
Zalmay Wesa, governor of Kandahar, urged leaders of the NUG on the occasion to help address Kandahar people’s issues regarding health, education, reconstruction and appointment of qualified people at deserving posts. The governor expressed hope that the solar park would help revive industrial units in a year that are closed now due to lack of electricity. He, however, underlined that this 10MW project alone is not enough to address the growing needs for electricity in Kandahar.
Kandahar residents have welcomed the new project. In conversation with Salam Watandar, a number of locals said the government must take steps to revive the electricity production at the Kajaki Dam and Delhi Dam to help overcome the electricity shortage in the long-term.
Kandahar’s daily requirement for electricity is 120MW, but the province only receives 20MW, 12MW of which comes from Helmand’s Kajaki Dam and the rest from private diesel-power generators.
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