New records marked in Iran’s electricity sector: minister

Iranian Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian said the country’s electricity sector has witnessed new records in production, exports and consumption management during the current calendar year (started on March 20), IRNA reported on Sunday.

This year we have set new records in this sector by inaugurating 3,250 megawatts (MW) capacity of new power plants, saving 3,874 MW in peak consumption period in summer, and exporting 2.3 billion kilowatt hours (kWh) of electricity to neighboring countries in the hot season,” Ardakanian said in gathering of energy ministry’s public relation offices in Tehran.

According to the official, based on the ministry data and statistics, the country’s electricity consumption was expected to reach nearly 61,000 MW in the summer peak period, however so far the highest consumption level has not exceeded 57,000 MW.

“This summer, about 3,874 MW of electricity was managed and this amount of saving prevented the constructing of a new 5,000-MW power plant with $5 billion of investment,” he said.

He added that 15 new power plants have gone operational in 12 provinces across the country with their exploitation which a record 3,250 MW of output growth in a year has been achieved.

The official went on saying that “We have also been able to fulfill our energy export commitments to our neighbors due to good rainfalls this year.”

“About 2.3 billion kWh of electricity was exported in the June to August period, the highest amount of exports in recent years,” he added.

Iranian energy ministry has been following new strategies in recent years to manage the consumption and lessen the electricity losses in the national grid during the hot season.

In the past decade, constant temperature rising and significant decrease of rainfalls across Iran has put the country in a hard situation regarding electricity supply during peak consumption periods.

Last year, the volume of water behind the country’s dams went so down that electricity output from hydropower plants fell to a decade low. The situation was worsen by a jump in electricity consumption due to a heat-wave that blanketed the country during summer and consequently led to a huge gap between actual power generation and consumption.

source: Tehran Times

Iranian Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian electricity sector