Shmatko approved head of Russian part of commission on Afghanistan

MOSCOW, May 3 (Itar-Tass) - Russian government approved Energy
Minister Sergei Shmatko chairman of the Russian part of the Russian-Afghan
intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation. An
appropriate decision was signed by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.
The establishment of the above commission was provided for by an
agreement between the Russian and Afghan governments on trade and economic
cooperation of January 21, 2011.
Provision of conditions for the development of partnership relations
between Russia and Afghanistan in electric power and the oil and gas
sphere was one of key areas of the commission's operation, reported the
press service of the Energy Ministry on Tuesday.
Russian companies have been present for decades on the Afghan energy
market, and implementation of new projects will be a logical continuation
of cooperation. Afghanistan built and put into operation with Soviet and
Russian aid such major projects as thermal power plant in Mazar-i-Sharif
with a capacity of 48 MW, the Puli-Humri, Naglu and Sarobi-2 hydropower
plants with a total capacity of 219 MW.
Work continues to reconstruct and modernise the Naglu hydropower
station to bring it to a capacity of 100 MW. This work is planned to be
completed in the first quarter of 2012. Russia carries out at the same
time deliveries, assembly, repairs and tune-up of equipment that
completed its service life. Work is conducted by the Tekhnopromexport
firm. The company also mulls over a possibility of updating the
Mazar-I-Sharif thermal power plant as well as reconstruction of the
hydropower station on the Kunar River.
In line with developing partnership relations, provision is made for
building in Afghanistan 500/220 kV power transmission lines and
substations, construction and reconstruction of generating facilities as
well as training of power specialists from among local population.
Implementation of projects in this sphere is included in the strategy of
the Inter RAO UES Company.
Plans with direct participation of the Russian-Afghan
intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation provide for
perking up negotiations with participants in the project CASA-1000:
Afghanistan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and Tajikistan.
The project provides for building two high-voltage transmission lines
and three power substations in Kabul, Peshawar and Sangtuda to export
electricity from Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to Pakistan and Afghanistan.
Russia's accession to this project will help to consolidate relations with
Central Asian republics and will ensure the access of Russian companies to
new markets. Inter RAO UES also participates in this large-scale project.
A possibility of Russia's participation in building a trans-Afghan gas
pipeline between Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan and India will be
also worked out under the guidance of this intergovernmental commission.
The total length of a gas pipeline will be 1,680 kilometres and an annual
throughput capacity - up to 30 billion cubic metres. Gazprom also plans to
use its resources along with companies of countries participating in the
project. Experience of the company's specialists will be needed in
designing a gas pipeline, in contract work and equipment deliveries.