Power transmission in Afghanistan: Challenges, opportunities and proposals

Gul Ahmad Ludin; Mohammad Amin Amin; Ahmad Shah Irshad; Soichiro Ueda; Zakirhussain Farhad; M. H. Elkholy; Tomonobu Senjyu; Gul Ahmad Ludin; Mohammad Amin Amin; Ahmad Shah Irshad; Soichiro Ueda; Zakirhussain Farhad; M. H. Elkholy; Tomonobu Senjyu

doi:10.3934/energy.2024040

AIMS Energy

2024, Volume 12, Issue 4: 840-871. doi: 10.3934/energy.2024040

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Research article

Power transmission in Afghanistan: Challenges, opportunities and proposals

1.
Electrical and Electronics Engineering Department, University of the Ryukyus, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara-cho, Nakagami, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan
2.
Electrical Power Engineering Department, Kabul Polytechnic University, 5th District, Kabul, 1001, Afghanistan
3.
Department of Energy Engineering, Engineering Faculty, Kandahar University, Kandahar, 3801, Afghanistan

Received: 24 January 2024 Revised: 07 June 2024 Accepted: 08 July 2024 Published: 29 July 2024

The power transmission system of Afghanistan is witnessing a significant shortage in terms of capacity, reliability, flexibility, and energy security. The goal of this paper was to identify and examine the associated issues, challenges, and opportunities for domestic transmission grid and power imports in the country. On these bases, proposals and recommendations were provided that can help the Afghan energy sector strategically enhance its transmission capacity and make the country's existing massive renewable energy potential exploitation feasible. The focus was on the expansion of high-voltage direct current transmission technology. The findings of the paper revealed that the utilization of high-voltage direct current, hybrid high-voltage alternating current, and high-voltage direct current transmission technologies can facilitate bulk power transmission and trade between south and central Asia, as well as regional energy sustainability, development, and security.
- Afghan power transmission system,
- HVAC/HVDC,
- challenges,
- opportunities
Citation: Gul Ahmad Ludin, Mohammad Amin Amin, Ahmad Shah Irshad, Soichiro Ueda, Zakirhussain Farhad, M. H. Elkholy, Tomonobu Senjyu. Power transmission in Afghanistan: Challenges, opportunities and proposals[J]. AIMS Energy, 2024, 12(4): 840-871. doi: 10.3934/energy.2024040

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Abstract

The power transmission system of Afghanistan is witnessing a significant shortage in terms of capacity, reliability, flexibility, and energy security. The goal of this paper was to identify and examine the associated issues, challenges, and opportunities for domestic transmission grid and power imports in the country. On these bases, proposals and recommendations were provided that can help the Afghan energy sector strategically enhance its transmission capacity and make the country's existing massive renewable energy potential exploitation feasible. The focus was on the expansion of high-voltage direct current transmission technology. The findings of the paper revealed that the utilization of high-voltage direct current, hybrid high-voltage alternating current, and high-voltage direct current transmission technologies can facilitate bulk power transmission and trade between south and central Asia, as well as regional energy sustainability, development, and security.

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