€130m power plant unit launched in northwest
A new power plant unit came on line in Iran’s northwestern province of Ardebil near the border with Azerbaijan with an investment value of 130 million euros.
A deputy CEO of Iran’s Thermal Power Plants Holding Company (TPPH) said on Thursday that the new steam unit opened at Sabalan Combined-Cycle Power Plant has a capacity to generate 160 megawatts (MW) of electricity, according to Press TV. Mohammad Ramazani said that the unit is a third steam unit launched at Sabalan power plant, an electricity station with six gas-fired units that has now a total generation capacity to 1.44 gigawatts.
Ramazani said the launch cuts natural gas consumption in the power plant by 250 million cubic meters per year and increases its efficiency rate to 50%.
Sabalan power plant is one of TPPH’s largest electricity stations in Iran. It is located to the north of the city of Ardebil near the border with Azerbaijan. The power plant has a combined cycle system where the exhaust heat from gas-fired turbines is used to raise steam to drive the steam turbines.
The efficient, environmentally-friendly system has become increasingly popular in Iran in recent years as the country relies on its massive natural gas resources to expand its electricity sector.
The government has offered incentives like cheap and stable supply of natural gas to encourage private investors to build combined-cycle power plants in various regions.