Minister: Power capacity to surpass 100,000 MW, largest in West Asia
Iran’s electricity generation capacity will soon exceed 100,000 megawatts, becoming the largest power grid in West Asia, Energy Minister Abbas Aliabadi said on Tuesday as he inaugurated 48 power-related projects in Isfahan Province.
Aliabadi attributed the management of electricity supply-demand shortage to a simultaneous increase in production and public cooperation in reducing consumption, adding that this approach would continue with planning for the upcoming summer, IRNA reported.
“In the power sector, consumption decreased by about 3% compared to last year; this is while a developing country typically expects 6% to 7% consumption growth. This reduction in consumption is a commendable achievement,” he told reporters on the sidelines of the ceremony marking the launch and operationalization of electricity industry projects in the central province.
“For the upcoming summer, our plan is to add new power plants and strengthen transmission and distribution infrastructure,” the minister said, noting that extensive measures are underway to expand smart systems and improve the distribution network.
8,000 MW added to grid
“This year, we added about 8,000 megawatts of combined solar and thermal power plants to the grid, which is a notable record,” he said.
Turning to water resources, the minister said an average reduction of about 25 liters in per capita consumption had been recorded, reflecting the impact of public cooperation in optimal use.
“Over the past five years, the country has faced continuous drought. Although this year shows about a 26% improvement compared to last year, we remain below long-term normal levels,” he said.
Aliabadi said 57 cities across Iran are under water stress, adding that Tehran Province is not in a favorable situation and Isfahan also requires greater public cooperation.
To manage water demand, the Ministry of Energy is distributing water-saving equipment that can reduce consumption by up to 30%, particularly for high-consumption subscribers, the minister said.
He also said cloud seeding operations have been carried out using more than 50 sorties of aircraft and drones employing scientific methods, under the supervision of an academic scientific committee.
Aliabadi emphasized the importance of developing distributed generation power plants.
“The country’s electricity imports are less than 500 megawatts, and by developing distributed generation plants — which create a more stable and resilient grid from both environmental and passive defense perspectives — we must further strengthen conditions for maintaining power grid stability,” he said.
The 48 projects inaugurated on Tuesday in Isfahan Province include network development, improvements to distribution and sub-transmission substation capacity, subscriber smartification, and upgrades to electricity networks and facilities. The projects aim to ensure a stable electricity supply and increase energy efficiency across the province.
“The projects inaugurated today will play an important role in grid stability,” Aliabadi said.
“These plans have been implemented with the aim of improving the quality and reliability of the power system, addressing problems in weak networks, and providing stable electricity for industries and various areas of the province. Operationalizing these projects will be an important step toward upgrading energy infrastructure and improving services to subscribers in Isfahan Province.”