Feb 02, 2009 - BBC Monitoring

The Uzbekenergo [Uzbek energy] state joint stock company has started exporting electricity to the Afghan capital of Kabul, a source in the country's government circles has told a Regnum news agency correspondent.

The Uzbek side has been exporting electricity to western Afghan provinces over the last few years, the source said. "In January 2009, the Afghan side completed work on connecting a power line to the Kabul network and currently, Uzbek electricity is being supplied to some of the city's substations. Now, when the Khayraton - Puli-Khumri - Kabul power line is commissioned, the volume of electricity supplies to Afghanistan can be increased up to 150 MW at an initial stage, and later up to 300 MW," the source said.

[Passage omitted: Afghan delegations headed by the Afghan minister of energy and water visited Uzbekistan twice in 2008]

Source: Regnum news agency, Moscow, in Russian 1151 gmt 2 Feb 09

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