TEHRAN -The energy ministers of Turkmenistan and Afghanistan signed an agreement to strengthen energy cooperation through the ambitious Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan transmission line, according to reports.

A report in Turkmenistan Today said the two sides discussed issues related to the project like laying transmission lines on the territory of neighboring states.

The agreement defines the volume of electricity that will be supplied to Afghanistan through the new transmission line – 300 megawatts to Herat and Kandahar cities each. In the future, it is likely to be increased to 1,000 megawatts.

The foundation-laying ceremony of this energy bridge was held in February with the participation of the heads of state and government of the three countries.

For years Afghanistan has been receiving electricity and liquefied gas from Turkmenistan at discounted prices via the Ymamnazar–Andkhoy and Serhetabat–Herat transmission lines. This summer, Rabat-Kashan–Kalay-Nau border transmission line with a capacity of 100 megawatts per hour was commissioned for the supply of Turkmen electricity to Northern Afghanistan.

“A lot of work has been done to implement this project, within the framework of which the Turkmen specialists have built a number of power supply facilities, including substations and transmission lines with a total length of 112 kilometers,” the report stated.

According to the blueprint of socio-economic development of Turkmenistan, the plan is to increase the total volume of electricity to be produced in the country in the next seven years to 33 billion kilowatt-hours, the report added.