Gov’t approves measures to ease power restrictions on industries
Iran’s government approved seven measures to support industrial production and improve electricity supply for manufacturers after President Masoud Pezeshkian ordered an emergency meeting in response to complaints from business leaders over power restrictions affecting factories.
The measures were approved after a three-hour meeting chaired by Pezeshkian and attended by officials from the ministries of industry and energy, along with representatives of industrial and business associations, according to the presidency’s website, president.ir.
The meeting was convened hours after manufacturers raised concerns about electricity shortages during Iran's National Industry, Mining and Trade Day ceremony on Tuesday.
Pezeshkian said maintaining stable industrial production was one of the government's priorities because of its importance for employment and economic security.
"The wheels of industry must keep turning without interruption," he said.
The president said the government had begun implementing energy-saving measures across state institutions, with all government bodies required to reduce consumption, eliminate unnecessary energy use and improve efficiency to help ensure stable electricity supplies for the production sector.
He also urged manufacturers to improve energy efficiency through better management and technology without disrupting production, and said the unauthorized use of industrial electricity for activities such as cryptocurrency mining was "completely unacceptable." He called on industrial associations to monitor electricity use by their members.
Iran is facing electricity shortages, a situation exacerbated by peak summer demand and the ongoing US war, which began in late February and has paused only for several weeks under a ceasefire agreed on April 8. A US-Israeli coalition launched attacks on the country on February 28, particularly targeting civilians and infrastructure.
Under the decisions approved at the Wednesday meeting, electricity supply restrictions for industrial parks will be reduced from two days a week to one day.
Industrial facilities will also be allowed to operate on Fridays in coordination with the Supreme Labor Council, while petrochemical complexes will be required to purchase green electricity through the Energy Exchange to free up capacity on the national grid for other industries.
The measures also call for legal action against industrial facilities found to have breached electricity consumption regulations, including the revocation of operating licenses by the Ministry of Industry, Mine and Trade.
Other decisions include requiring large shopping malls and commercial centers to reduce energy consumption, launching a nationwide public campaign to encourage energy conservation, and allocating newly added electricity generation capacity to industrial units and development projects.
The meeting also agreed to establish a joint task force comprising relevant ministries and government bodies to oversee implementation of the decisions.