當夜晚降臨阿富汗赫爾曼德省（Helmand）首府拉什卡爾加（Lashkar Gah）的奈德阿里區（Nad Ali district），一個嗡嗡作響的聲音在夜空中繚繞。許多小型渦輪機被綁在地區的渠道旁，整夜運轉，為村裡的房舍提供照明與溫暖。
當地居民以自己的發電機設備及勞力製造自己的水力電能，但他們抱怨當地政府卻還想對他們課稅。
赫爾曼德省因為有功能強大的卡加克（Kajaki）水力發電站，在能源供給上相對來講已經是比較好的了。這個發電廠的電力理論上還可以供應足夠的電力給鄰近的坎大哈省（Kandahar）。
美國正提供經費協助當地大壩及發電站的主要重建工作，整個計畫最終大約會花費5億美元左右。
但是塔利班政權已經將他們的勢力擴展到卡加克地區，他們與阿富汗政府及外國勢力的爭戰，使重建工作進度受到阻礙。此外，通過像是三金（Sangin）等危險區域的電纜線常常不是被塔利班政權截斷，就是被當地居民切斷，使整個赫爾曼德省電力傳輸中斷。
在該省首府拉什卡爾加的發電機只要當地政府有燃料可以運轉就能提供電力，但是當地經常處在無電狀況。甚至省屬媒體也無法經常性的掌握足夠的電力，以保持電視及廣播的傳送。
根據赫爾曼德省電力部門首席副局長那比（Mohammad Nabi）工程師表示，卡加克水壩可以生產20百萬瓦電力，其中一半輸送到坎大哈省。另一半送到赫爾曼德省的電力，一半供應首府拉什卡爾加，剩餘的則分配到省的其他區域。他表示，令人遺憾的是這些電力還是不夠供應該省的需要。他指出：「卡加克水壩之所以無法生產超過20百萬瓦電力，是因為設備老舊並且受到毀損，而單是拉什卡爾加就需要25百萬瓦電力。」 這使得許多區域還是處在黑暗之中。
As night falls in Nad Ali district, a humming sound can be heard in the air. Small turbines fixed in local canals work throughout the evening, providing light and warmth to village homes.
The people generating their own hydroelectric power have provided the equipment and labor themselves, but complain the government is trying to tax them.
Helmand is comparatively well off when it comes to energy, with the powerful Kajaki hydroelectric station theoretically capable of providing enough power for neighboring Kandahar as well.
The United States is funding a major reconstruction of the dam and power station, a project that will ultimately cost up to US$500 million.
But the Taliban have extended their reach into Kajaki, and the resulting battles with Afghan government and foreign forces have derailed the work. In addition, power lines through troubled districts such as Sangin are often cut either by the Taliban or by local residents, causing power outages throughout Helmand province.
Generators in the provincial capital Lashkar Gah provide electricity whenever the government has enough fuel to run them, but the city often goes without power. Even the state media cannot always command enough electricity to keep television and radio on the air.
According to the deputy head of Helmand's power department, engineer Mohammad Nabi, the Kajaki dam now produces 20 megawatts of power, about half of which goes to Kandahar. The rest goes to Helmand, with half for Lashkar Gah and the rest distributed around the province.
This is woefully inadequate for the province's needs, he said.
"The Kajaki dam cannot produce more than 20 megawatts because the equipment is old and damaged," said Nabi. "Lashkar Gah alone needs 25 megawatts."
The result is that many districts are left in the dark.
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