Kabul electricity crisis stalls small businesses

In Kabul, daily power outages lasting up to 15 hours are forcing small‑business owners to halt production and rely on expensive diesel generators. Carpenter Haji Mehraban says each hour without electricity delays furniture orders, reduces work hours and raises operating costs, while he cannot raise prices because customers have limited purchasing power. Grocery‑store owner Mohammad Saleem reports that frequent outages jeopardise refrigeration, threatening his stock and daily sales.

The prolonged blackouts affect thousands of workshops and retail shops across the city, adding a heavy financial burden to an already strained small‑business sector and threatening their ability to stay operational.