USAID's Power Transmission Expansion and Connectivity Project: The Project is Behind Schedule, and Questions Remain about the Afghan Government's Ability to Use and Maintain the New Power Infrastructure

Abstract

A lack of reliable access to affordable electricity is one of Afghanistans major economic challenges. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) initiated its $861.7 million Power Transmission Expansion and Connectivity (PTEC) project in 2011 with the goal of expanding and improving Afghanistans power grid. USAID intended for PTEC to conclude by December 30, 2016, but USAID now expects PTEC will be completed in December 2023. PTEC's main objective is to connect Kabul's and Kandahar's respective power grids by building new transmission lines and substations. USAID expected that the new infrastructure would transmit excess power from Kabul southward to meet the needs of Kandahar and other population centers along the way. USAID also sought to commercialize Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), Afghanistan's national power utility, through activities like increasing the effectiveness of its corporate management practices, increasing revenue collection, reducing losses, and improving its operation and maintenance capabilities, with the goal of enabling DABS to sustain Afghanistans new power infrastructure after PTEC's completion. This audit assesses USAID's implementation and oversight of the PTEC project, from its inception in August 2011 through March 2019, and covers both completed and ongoing activities. The objectives of this audit were to determine the extent to which USAID (1) ensured that DABS achieved USAID's intended deliverables for PTEC--such as transmission lines and substations built, and hardware and software installed--and met those deliverables on schedule; (2) measured PTECs progress in meeting USAID's intended project purpose and goals; (3) provided oversight and accountability for the Afghan government's commitments to USAID and implementation of PTEC activities; and (4) assessed whether PTEC infrastructure would be necessary and sustainable.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 01, 2019
Accession Number
AD1137650

Entities

People

  • John Sopko

Organizations

  • Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Business Administration
  • Commerce
  • Construction Materials
  • Contracts
  • Data Sets
  • Electricity Meters
  • Financial Management
  • Government Procurement
  • Governments
  • Human Resources
  • Load Monitoring
  • Management Personnel
  • Money
  • National Security
  • Power Supplies
  • Risk Analysis

Readers

  • Defense Financial Management and Audit.
  • Energy Conservation and Renewable Energy Engineering.
  • Naval Engineering and Maritime Security