Iran has resumed electricity exports to Afghanistan and Pakistan after meeting domestic demand, Iranian media reported Friday.
Mostafa Rajabi Mashhadi, managing director of Iran’s state power company Tavanir, said the decision was made to help supply energy to neighboring markets. He estimated current exports to the two eastern neighbors at about 150 megawatts.
Rajabi Mashhadi said exports would remain at that level unless demand in the neighboring countries or market conditions change. He added that Iran adjusts electricity imports and exports based on internal needs and market circumstances, leaving room for increases or cuts in the future.
Western Afghan provinces, which rely heavily on power imports from Iran and Turkmenistan, faced prolonged blackouts during the summer as Iranian electricity supplies were reduced.
Afghanistan’s electricity supply falls far short of its needs. The country requires about 1,500 megawatts to meet demand but produces only a fraction domestically, largely through hydropower and small fossil fuel and solar plants. Roughly 720 megawatts — nearly half of total demand — is covered by imports from neighbors including Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Iran. That reliance has left Afghanistan vulnerable to seasonal fluctuations and supply cuts, which often trigger prolonged blackouts across the country.
