{"page":"\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/resources-c03aa079.css\" /\u003e\n\u003clink rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https://lessonplanet.com/assets/packs/css/lp_boclips_stylesheets-517835be.css\" media=\"all\" /\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-title='It was a massive U.S. investment in energy for Afghanistan. But after years of delays and millions of dollars, the 105-megawatt power plant hardly runs and Afghans still need power. Today, the plant is a symbol of the faltering U.S. reconstruction effort' data-url='/boclips/videos/5c54bb26d8eafeecae122e13' data-video-url='/boclips/videos/5c54bb26d8eafeecae122e13' id='bo_player_modal'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='boclips-resource-page modal-dialog panel-container'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='react-notifications-root'\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-header'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-type'\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-regular fa-circle-play'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nVideo\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ch1 class='rp-title' id='video-title'\u003e\nIt was a massive U.S. investment in energy for Afghanistan. But after years of delays and millions of dollars, the 105-megawatt power plant hardly runs and Afghans still need power. Today, the plant is a symbol of the faltering U.S. reconstruction effort\n\u003c/h1\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-actions'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='mr-1'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"btn btn-success\" data-posthog-event=\"Signup: LP Signup Activity\" data-posthog-location=\"body_link_boclips\" data-remote=\"true\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGet Free Access\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e for 10 Days\u003c/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e!\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/a\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-body'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-info'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Hide resource details' class='rp-hide-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u0026times;\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Expand resource details' class='rp-expand-info fai fa-solid fa-up-right-and-down-left-from-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003ci aria-label='Compress resource details' class='rp-compress-info fai fa-solid fa-down-left-and-up-right-to-center' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-rating'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='resource-pool'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-label'\u003ePublisher:\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='pool-name'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='text'\u003e\u003ca data-publisher-id=\"30356011\" href=\"/search?publisher_ids%5B%5D=30356011\"\u003eCurated Video\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-description'\u003e\n\u003cspan class='short-description'\u003eHEADLINE: Power Struggles: Afghans still in the darkCAPTION:  It was a massive U.S. investment in energy for Afghanistan. But after years of delays and millions of dollars, the 105-megawatt power plant hardly runs and Afghans still need...\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003cspan class='full-description hide'\u003eHEADLINE: Power Struggles: Afghans still in the dark\u003cbr/\u003eCAPTION:  It was a massive U.S. investment in energy for Afghanistan. But after years of delays and millions of dollars, the 105-megawatt power plant hardly runs and Afghans still need power. Today, the plant is a symbol of the faltering U.S. reconstruction effort.  (July 19)\u003cbr/\u003eFor many living in Southwest Kabul, nightfall is often the most challenging time of day. \u003cbr/\u003eAbdul Rahim lives here with his wife and their nine children, as well as his brother, HIS wife and THEIR nine children.  Together, they have one light bulb.\u003cbr/\u003e(SOT: ABDUL RAHIM (in Dari))\u003cbr/\u003e\"Everybody who is living in this area has no electricity. And its dark everywhere.\"\u003cbr/\u003eThough the U.S. and other countries have spent more than a billion dollars on energy projects here, affordable, reliable electricity remains scarce.  \u003cbr/\u003eEnergy experts estimate that only about ten percent of Afghans have access to electricity.  It was six percent when U.S. troops arrived in 2001.\u003cbr/\u003eMany rely on the private generators of their neighbors, like this man, who provides electricity to more than 100 nearby houses.\u003cbr/\u003eBut it's not reliable and it's definitely not cheap, which is why Rahim can afford only one single bulb. \u003cbr/\u003eIt wasn't supposed to be this way.  Not in 2010.\u003cbr/\u003eThree years ago, as Afghan President Hamid Karzai prepared for a re-election campaign, the United States set out to help Karzai score a major accomplishment:  bringing electricity to at least half-a-million people in this capital city.\u003cbr/\u003e\"The campaign had just started to re-elect Karzai and people were looking into what Karzai had done.  That question became very loud in many people's mind in the media and in the press that they haven't been able to bring power to Kabul.\"\u003cbr/\u003eWith few options available to get widespread power to so many people quickly, the U.S. rushed to build a diesel-fueled power plant on the outskirts of Kabul.\u003cbr/\u003eThough diesel is not easily acquired in Afghanistan - and has to be trucked in from neighboring countries - the U.S. said the plant would be up and running by the end of 2008...In time for the citizens of Kabul to reap the benefits before the Afghan election in 2009.\u003cbr/\u003eThe promised price tag: $100 million dollars.\u003cbr/\u003e\"We were going to have a presidential election coming up in Afghanistan in 2009, so there was an issue of politics.  But there was also an issue of whether power was needed, which it was, and could be done in a feasible way.\"\u003cbr/\u003eAnother feasible source was already in the works: a high voltage power line that would cost far less to build and would bring cheap electricity into the country from Uzbekistan.\u003cbr/\u003eBut that project was expected to take years, and officials feared it wouldn't be up and running by the Afghan election. \u003cbr/\u003eAs it turned out, they were wrong... on all counts.\u003cbr/\u003eThe line from Uzbekistan was actually finished first -- at a fraction of the cost -- and now provides the bulk of the power in Kabul. \u003cbr/\u003eCosts for the diesel plant, meanwhile, more than tripled, to beyond 300 million dollars.  Construction dragged on a year past schedule. \u003cbr/\u003eToday, the plant sits mostly idle.\u003cbr/\u003e(SOT:(In Dari) SHOJAUDDIN ZIAIE, DEP. MINISTER OF ENERGY + WATER)  \u003cbr/\u003e\"We are not using it because we have enough power from abroad and it is cheaper.  This power plant is too expensive for us.\"\u003cbr/\u003eStill, USAID, which financed the project, defends the plant as essential for energy diversity.\u003cbr/\u003e\"At this point in time, Kabul has more power available to it than its ever had before, it has better diversification of supply than it's ever had before.\"\u003cbr/\u003eThat's little comfort to Abdul Rahim and the hundreds of thousands of others who remain powerless in Kabul.\u003cbr/\u003eEven now, supply doesn't come close to meeting the demand and the distribution system reaches only a few.\u003cbr/\u003e(SOT: (in Dari) ABDUL RAHIM)\u003cbr/\u003e\"Day and night, we are counting the minutes until we will finally get electricity.  (cut) In my opinion, if there is no electricity, life has no meaning.\"\u003cbr/\u003eFor them, each nightfall is a daily reminder of the promises not kept - and the darkness they can't escape.\u003cbr/\u003eKelly Daschle, the Associated Press\u003cbr/\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='action-container flex justify-between'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' aria-label='Read more description' class='rp-full-description' type='button'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fai fa-solid fa-align-left'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003cspan id='read_more'\u003eRead More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-report'\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='resource-details-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='resource-details-heading'\u003eResource Details\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-resource-details clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eCurator Rating\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan class=\"star-rating\" aria-label=\"3.5 out of 5 stars\" role=\"img\"\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-star-half-stroke text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-regular fa-star text-action\" aria-hidden=\"true\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt class=\"educator-rating-title\"\u003eEducator Rating\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"educator-rating-details\" data-path=\"/educator_ratings/rrp_data?resourceable_id=1117818\u0026amp;resourceable_type=Boclips%3A%3AVideoMetadata\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"not-yet-rated\"\u003eNot yet Rated\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eGrade\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd title=\"Grade\"\u003eHigher Ed\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eSubjects\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=1\u0026amp;subject_ids%5B%5D=1216220\"\u003eAll Subjects\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eMedia Type\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=2\u0026amp;type_ids%5B%5D=4543650\"\u003eNews Clips\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eSource:\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eDate\u003c/dt\u003e\n\u003cdd\u003e2010\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fai fa-solid fa-language'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\u003cdt\u003eAudiences\u003c/dt\u003e\u003cdd\u003e\u003cspan\u003e\u003ca href=\"/search?audience_ids%5B%5D=371079\u0026amp;grade_ids%5B%5D=259\u0026amp;search_tab_id=1\"\u003eFor Teacher Use\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/span\u003e\u003c/dd\u003e\u003cdd class=\"text-muted\"\u003e\u003ci class=\"fa-solid fa-lock mr5\"\u003e\u003c/i\u003e2 more...\u003c/dd\u003e\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='detail'\u003e\n\u003cdl\u003e\n\n\u003c/dl\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='concepts-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='concepts-heading'\u003eConcepts\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='details-list concepts' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator' data-type='concepts'\u003etime, elections, running, cost, years, countries, power, afghanistan, electricity, business, asia, north america, presidential elections\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='concepts-toggle-buttons' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' class='more btn-link' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-down ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='true' class='less btn-link' style='display: none;' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow Less\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-up ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='additional-tags-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title' id='additional-tags-heading'\u003eAdditional Tags\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='clearfix'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='details-list keyterms' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator' data-type='keyterms'\u003ediesel, people, line, kabul, abdul rahim, afghan election, electric power generation, united states, industries, government and politics, uzbekistan, issue, wife, central asia, dark, united states government, living, industrial products and services, utilities, united states military, power and communication line construction, reliable, cheap, energy industry, power plant, project, national elections, plant, afford, nightfall, campaign, karzai, electric utilities, construction and engineering, hamid karzai, build, heavy construction industry, children, supply\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='keyterms-toggle-buttons' data-identifier='Boclips::VideoDecorator'\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='false' class='more btn-link' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow More\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-down ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003cbutton aria-expanded='true' class='less btn-link' style='display: none;' type='button'\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eShow Less\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003ci aria-hidden='true' class='fa-solid fa-caret-up ml5'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/button\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-labelledby='educator-ratings-heading' class='rp-info-section'\u003e\n\u003ch2 class='title sr-only' id='educator-ratings-heading'\u003eEducator Ratings\u003c/h2\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"educator-ratings-root\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"all-educator-ratings-root\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"educator-rating-form-root\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='rp-resource'\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Show resource details' class='rp-show-info' role='button' tabindex='0'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fai fa-solid fa-align-left'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\nShow resource details\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv aria-label='Video player' class='player' id='player-wrapper' role='region'\u003e\n\u003cdiv class='relative container mx-auto' id='lp-boclips-visitor-thumbnail'\u003e\n\u003ca class=\"block\" data-html=\"true\" data-placement=\"bottom\" data-trigger=\"click\" data-content=\"\u003cdiv class=\u0026quot;text-center py-2\u0026quot;\u003e\u003ca class=\u0026quot;bold\u0026quot; href=\u0026quot;/auth/users/sign_in\u0026quot;\u003eSign in\u003c/a\u003e or \u003ca class=\u0026quot;bold text-danger\u0026quot; data-posthog-event=\u0026quot;Signup: LP Signup Activity\u0026quot; data-posthog-location=\u0026quot;body_link_boclips\u0026quot; data-remote=\u0026quot;true\u0026quot; href=\u0026quot;/subscription/new\u0026quot;\u003eJoin Now\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\" data-title=\"Get Full Access\" data-container=\"body\" rel=\"popover\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-label=\"Play video: It was a massive U.S. investment in energy for Afghanistan. But after years of delays and millions of dollars, the 105-megawatt power plant hardly runs and Afghans still need power. Today, the plant is a symbol of the faltering U.S. reconstruction effort\" href=\"/subscription/new\"\u003e\u003cimg class=\"resource-img img-thumbnail img-responsive z-10 lp-boclips-thumbnail w-full h-full lozad\" alt=\"It was a massive U.S. investment in energy for Afghanistan. But after years of delays and millions of dollars, the 105-megawatt power plant hardly runs and Afghans still need power. Today, the plant is a symbol of the faltering U.S. reconstruction effort\" title=\"It was a massive U.S. investment in energy for Afghanistan. But after years of delays and millions of dollars, the 105-megawatt power plant hardly runs and Afghans still need power. Today, the plant is a symbol of the faltering U.S. reconstruction effort\" onError=\"handleImageNotLoadedError(this)\" data-default-image=\"https://static.lp.lexp.cloud/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/missing.png\" data-src=\"https://static.lp.lexp.cloud/images/attachment_defaults/resource/large/missing.png\" width=\"315\" height=\"220\" src=\"data:image/png;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAD/ACwAAAAAAQABAAACADs\" /\u003e\n\u003cspan aria-hidden='true' class='flex justify-center items-center bg-white rounded-full w-16 h-16 absolute top-1/2 left-1/2 -mt-8 -ml-8 cursor-pointer z-0 border-2 border-primary drop-shadow-md lp-boclips-thumbnail-playBtn'\u003e\n\u003ci class='fa-solid fa-play text-primary text-3xl ml-1 drop-shadow-xl'\u003e\u003c/i\u003e\n\u003c/span\u003e\n\u003c/a\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n"}