A clean future for future generations

According to me-metals cited by Donyaye Eghtesad, this project, which has been implemented with an investment of 305 million euros in the first phase so far, is considered an effective step towards reducing dependence on fossil fuels and moving towards the production of renewable energies. In this ceremony, which was attended by the Minister of Industry, ss and Trade, the Governor of Isfahan, the deputies of the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Trade, the representative of the people of Mobarakeh in the parliament, the CEO of Mobarakeh Steel Group and other officials, Masoud Pezhakian thanked Mobarakeh Steel for investing in the construction of the largest concentrated solar power plant in the country.

The power plant, which is set to eventually reach a capacity of 600 megawatts, will play an important role in providing clean energy and reducing pressure on the country's national electricity grid. Mobarakeh Steel, which has invested more than $2.3 billion in the environmental sector so far, has reduced its electricity consumption from the national grid to 50 megawatts with this project.

During the opening ceremony of the first phase of the Mobarakeh Steel Solar Power Plant, before issuing the decree to open the plant, Masoud Pezhakian thanked the company for investing in the construction of Iran's largest concentrated solar power plant. He said in this regard: "I thank Mr. Aliabadi, the Honorable Minister of Energy, and Mr. Atabak, the Honorable Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade. I also thank the managers, contractors, and Mobarakeh Steel Complex who took the lead in this project and made investments."

Emphasizing the importance of this project in the development of renewable energies in the country, the President praised the efforts of Mobarakeh Steel Complex to create the country's clean energy infrastructure, saying: "This action was taken in order to support the country's major industries and reduce dependence on fossil fuels."

A symbol of national will

Seyyed Mohammad Atabak, Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade, said during the inauguration of the power plant: "This project will increase access to energy and go beyond electricity production. The Aftab Sharq Solar Power Plant of Mobarakeh Steel is an effective step towards reducing dependence on fossil fuels, reducing greenhouse gases, strengthening the country's energy security, and building a clean future for future generations."

Emphasizing that this project with a final capacity of 600 megawatts is a symbol of the national will towards sustainable development and the use of clean energy, he said: "In the first phase of this project, a capacity of 120 megawatt hours will be put into operation with the efforts of engineers, employees and managers of the Mobarakeh Steel Group and in cooperation with Daneshmand Engineering Company and the project contractor."

Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade stated: "About 40 percent of the equipment of this power plant has been domestically produced, which shows the country's domestic technical and engineering capabilities. This project will be operated in Isfahan province in the year named by the Supreme Leader as the year of investment for production."

Atabak said that the goal of this project, in addition to generating electricity, is to increase employment in Mobarakeh Steel, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, reduce greenhouse gases, and strengthen the country's energy security, adding: "This project is an effective step in building a clean and sustainable future for future generations."

In the final part of his speech, he expressed his appreciation for the efforts of all those who played a role in the design, implementation, and supply of equipment for this project, especially the CEO of Mobarakeh Steel Group, the Governor of Isfahan, members of parliament, deputy ministers, and all Mobarakeh Steel employees.

Mobarakeh Steel's move towards self-sufficiency in electricity production

Saeed Zarandi, CEO of Mobarakeh Steel Group, said at the commissioning ceremony of the first phase of the 600 MW solar power plant, while appreciating the support and accompaniment of the Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade, especially during the war, "Before we address the issue of opening today's project, it is appropriate to express my appreciation for the cooperation of the managers and employees of Mobarakeh Steel who continued to work diligently in the production field during the 12-day imposed war. Managers and employees who maintained sustainable production." Emphasizing that during these times, they defined and implemented various different and numerous strategies and solutions, Zarandi said: "Although the conditions were difficult, we gained very valuable experiences."

Pointing out that Mobarakeh Steel seeks to be globally aligned, he said: "Mobarakeh Steel has always been a responsible company in all areas, especially environmental areas, and has made numerous investments in this regard, to the extent that the company has invested more than $2.3 billion in this area in recent years and has targeted the production of green steel with the lowest carbon content, and today we are witnessing the fruition of another achievement of this company."

The CEO of Mobarakeh Steel Group stated that the steel industry, like other industries in the country, has faced energy challenges in recent years, adding: "Over the past 5 years, the industry's electricity rate has increased more than 28 times, and we have also faced a 20-fold increase in the gas sector." To make Mobarakeh Steel's investments in the energy sector tangible, it should be said that Mobarakeh Steel's electricity demand is currently about 1,610 megawatts, while Mobarakeh Steel's electricity receipt from the grid has been reduced to 50 megawatts. It is worth noting that today Mobarakeh Steel has almost no pressure or burden on the country's national electricity grid, as 850 megawatts of the electricity required by Mobarakeh Steel is self-sufficient and is being supplied from the company's investments in energy production. 400 megawatts of this energy is supported by Mobarakeh Steel's 914 megawatt combined cycle power plant, and we will try to bring another 120 megawatts into operation by the end of October from this solar power plant.

According to Zarandi, for the second phase, the 400-volt substation and transmission line have been prepared, as well as the necessary transformers have been built, and the clearance of the second 120-megawatt panels has also been completed. We are moving in a direction that will achieve the operation of 600 megawatts from this power plant at the appointed time. In the final part of his speech, the CEO of Mobarakeh Steel Group thanked all those involved in this project, especially the former and current managers of Mobarakeh Steel and other companies involved in the project, as well as all provincial and national officials, and expressed his hope that the next phases will also be put into operation in the same way.

Zarandi also said on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the first phase of the country's largest solar power plant: "The total investment in this project is 305 million euros, and in the first phase, which we are witnessing its operation today, about 500 billion tomans have been invested so far for part of the second phase."

He added: "During this period, energy outages and imbalances have created serious challenges for Mobarakeh Steel. We hope that with the measures we have taken, we will be able to move towards green steel production using solar electricity. These measures are important strategies of Mobarakeh Steel, and these achievements will be good news for the people of our country."

The CEO of Mobarakeh Steel Group mentioned the use of domestic capacities as another advantage of constructing this project and said: "For this purpose, the Iranian company MAPNA has been selected as the contractor for this power plant, which is a pioneer in the field of electrical energy in our country. This is while in the meetings we have had with MAPNA and the authorities, we have emphasized that in the next phases we will increase the share of Iranian equipment, and this strategy is a good opportunity for our country's industries, because the country's strategy in the field of energy is to move towards building solar power plants and producing renewable energy. Since today all steelmakers in the world are seeking to produce green steel, we will seriously pursue and implement this strategy."

Zarandi concluded by saying: This strategy is also a very good opportunity for the private sector to have a greater presence and investment in the field of solar panel production and other requirements for such projects. This is an issue that Mobarakeh Steel supports and welcomes. For this purpose, we have supported domestic companies, and as we emphasized, we will give more contribution to the presence of domestic companies in the next phases so that they can also contribute to domestic job creation and the development of the country's technical knowledge in this field with a stronger presence.

It is worth mentioning that during the inauguration of this power plant, Seyyed Mohammad Atabak, Minister of Industry, Mines and Trade, and his accompanying delegation, along with Mehdi Jamalinejad, Governor of Isfahan, Zahra Saeedi, Representative of the People of Mobarakeh in the Islamic Consultative Assembly, Saeed Zarandi, CEO of Mobarakeh Steel Group, General Manager of Industry, Mines and Trade of Isfahan, Deputy Governors, and a group of Mobarakeh Steel's Deputy Directors and Managers visited the country's largest solar power plant. This project, which aims to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and move towards clean and renewable energies, will play an important role in the country's sustainable development and environmental protection.