DUSHANBE, February 12, 2015, Asia-Plus -- The Central Asia South Asia Electricity Transmission and Trade Project (CASA-1000) Legal Subcommittee and Joint Working Group meetings were held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan on January 31 through February 6, according to the CASA-1000 Project’s website.

Joint Working Group meeting completed negotiation of most open pricing issues and agreed the methodology to prepare the kWh schedules for the power purchase agreements (PPAs).  The next steps were reportedly discussed and agreed.

The next meeting of country advisors to finalize all the project agreements is planned on March 2-6 in Washington and following joint JWG and Procurement Committee meeting to agree all the Advisors’ Meeting working products, finalize preparations for signing of the agreements, and make commitments to keep procurement on schedule.

All of the necessary power generation infrastructure needed for CASA-1000 is reportedly 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 Kyrgyzstan 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 Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan to supply these transmission lines.

CASA-1000 Project demonstrates landmark cooperation among Kyrgyzstan, 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.