Turkey expands influence in Central Asia as TAP-500 power project moves forward
TAP-500 is one of several energy and infrastructure schemes in Central Asia involving collaboration by Turkish companies.
KARACHI — After years of delay, the operational phase of TAP-500 — a 500-kilovolt power transmission project linking Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan — is finally moving forward. The project, being carried out in collaboration with a Turkish company, highlights Turkey’s broader strategy in Central Asia, where Ankara seeks to secure energy and transportation corridors without the involvement of Russia or Iran.
A crucial meeting was held in Kabul on Jan. 27 to discuss its implementation, marking a significant development in regional energy cooperation.
Once completed, TAP-500 will have the capacity to transmit 1,000 megawatts (MW) of high-voltage electricity from Turkmenistan to Pakistan via Afghanistan’s Herat, Farah, Helmand, Nimroz and Kandahar provinces, potentially contributing to economic growth and energy security across the region.
At the Kabul meeting, delegates from Turkmenistan, the Calik Holding Group and officials from Da Afghanistan Breshna Sherkat (DABS), Afghanistan's national power utility, focused on defining their mutual responsibilities. Of note, it was the first trilateral meeting since the Taliban retook power in 2021. The Afghan Foreign Ministry hosted the gathering.
