The Ministry of Energy and Water Resources of Tajikistan recently announced that the cross-border high-voltage

transmission line CASA-1000 (Central Asia-South Asia) is expected to be officially operational in 2027. The project

aims to connect the energy systems of Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan with Afghanistan and Pakistan, forming an

important link in regional energy connectivity.
The CASA-1000 project is the largest regional project involving four countries,” said Tajikistan’s Minister of Energy

and Water Resources, Dalel Juma, in Dushanbe. At present, the construction work in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan has

been completed, and the construction in Pakistan is advancing rapidly. It is expected that the Pakistan section will

complete all construction tasks in the first half of this year.”

The CASA-1000 project, a cross-border high-voltage transmission line, has indeed faced a number of challenges

in recent years, especially the construction of the Afghan section, which was once stalled due to funding issues.

Minister Juma revealed, “After a long period of international negotiations and coordination, development partners

have re-financed the Afghan section. Currently, the construction of the Afghan section is well underway and is

expected to be completed by the end of 2026. The entire project will be fully operational by 2027.”

The construction of the CASA-1000 line, a cross-border high-voltage transmission line, is of great significance in

promoting regional energy cooperation. Once operational, it will enable Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to export up to

1,300 megawatts (MW) of surplus electricity to South Asian countries during the summer months, thus contributing

to the formation of a unified electricity market and the facilitation of year-round energy trading. The project is

supported by a number of international financial institutions and donor organizations, including the World Bank Group,

the Islamic Development Bank, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and the European Investment Bank.

Construction of the CASA-1000 project, a cross-border high-voltage transmission line, began in May 2016, it was noted.

As of now, the Tajikistan side has almost completed all relevant work, with only finishing tasks such as adjustments and

connections remaining. The construction of energy infrastructure on the Kyrgyz side is also due to be fully completed by

November 2024. Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat, the national power company of Afghanistan, said, “The project resumed

construction in May 2024 with financial support from the World Bank after a two-year delay. We expect the project to be

fully completed by the end of 2025. This re-launch of the project is a great demonstration of the common need and strong

confidence of regional countries in energy connectivity.”