The Ministry of Energy and Water will invest $450 million in a key dam project in Arghandab district in Kandahar province, officials said on Friday.

Building irrigation canals and networks as well as increasing the capacity of Kandahar’s Dahla Dam basins are parts of the projects.

The ministry has started work on the project, said Mohammad Asif Ghafoori, head of the office of energy and water minister.

“Right now, work on part of the project has started. We hope that it is implemented effectively and benefit Kandahar residents from its water and electricity,” he said.

He said all components of the project will be completed by 2023. But he said part of the project will be completed within the next one year.  

The Dahla Dam is the largest dam in Kandahar, and the second largest in Afghanistan. 

It was built in 1952. Over the years the project was subjected to siltation of the reservoir, the canal system and other appurtenant works which reduced its irrigation benefits. 

The dam is 34 kilometers north of the Kandahar City. It is built on the Arghandab River which flows over a length of 400 kilometers. 

Former deputy minister of energy and water Abdul Basir Azimi said the dam will generate an additional 22 megawatts of power after the project is completed. 

“The third phase of the project will provide water to Kandahar City. It will help hundreds of thousands of families to have access to drinking water after it is processed. Meanwhile, three turbines will be installed on the dam. Each of them will produce eight megawatts of power. All the turbines will generate 22 megawatts of power,” Azimi said.