The smart use of mother nature is the objective of the CASA-1000 Project.
All of the necessary power generation infrastructure needed for CASA-1000 is already in place. In fact, much of the surplus electricity available to CASA-1000 being generated with water that simply would have been spilled for lack of an outlet for the power. When complete, the full CASA-1000 transmission lines will move electricity at high voltages between the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan (the first 477 kilometers) and from Tajikistan to Afghanistan and Pakistan (the next 750 kilometers). Even without adding any new power generation to the system, sufficient quantities of surplus electricity are available in the Central Asian countries to supply these transmission lines.
This project demonstrates landmark cooperation among the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. The modern and efficient CASA-1000 electricity transmission system will help transform the region and signify an important step toward realizing the planned Central Asia-South Asia Regional Electricity Market (CASAREM). The CASAREM initiative will help not only these four countries, but also improve the electricity systems and develop inter-regional cooperation between Central Asia and South Asia.
The CASA-1000 Project is ambitious but achievable. When compared with the 340,000-kilometer North American grid or the 230,000-kilometer European power system, the 1,222-kilometer CASA-1000 transmission project seems quite achievable but it will take time, long-term planning, and cooperation.
A high level Inter-Governmental Council has been established to help make CASA-1000 happen and regional cooperation in the first phases of the project has been excellent. Through the Inter-Governmental Council, the countries are working together to make decisions about project implementation and operation, common policies and rules, and use consistent technical, safety, and environmental standards. They are also planning consultations with the public and a wide-ranging community benefit-sharing plan.
The CASA-1000 project will include:
• 500 kV AC line from Datka (in the Kyrgyz Republic) to Khudjand (477 kilometers away, in Tajikistan)
• 1300 megawatt AC-DC Convertor Station at Sangtuda (Tajikistan)
• 750 kilometer High Voltage DC line from Sangtuda to Kabul (Afghanistan) to Peshawar (Pakistan)
• 300 megawatt Convertor Station at Kabul (with import and export capability)
• 1300 megawatt DC-AC Convertor Station at Peshawar