Summer power cuts expected to sink if 14 mega-projects completed
Iran could face less electricity imbalance this summer if favorable conditions persist and 14 mega-projects are implemented, Deputy Energy Minister Mostafa Rajabi Mashhadi said, while warning that wartime conditions may delay some plans.
Planning to supply electricity during the country's peak summer consumption days began months ago, and the 14 mega-projects designed by the Ministry of Energy have been in the execution track for a long time, Rajabi Mashhadi said, ISNA reported.
"Limitations and electricity imbalance have decreased," he said, adding that he hopes the implementation of the 14 mega-projects will place electricity supply in a more stable condition, though the execution of some projects may be delayed or become unfeasible due to war conditions.
"Our entire effort is to pass the summer with the least problems and limitations," he said.
Measures have been taken to supply electricity to citizens under wartime conditions, the deputy minister noted. Iran's electricity grid is one of the most extensive interconnected networks in the region, spanning more than 1 million kilometers, and in most parts of the country, electricity is supplied from multiple paths and multiple power plants, he said.
This feature ensures that in case of an incident on one line or at one power plant, the shortfall can be compensated from other routes, maintaining grid stability, he added.
The vast majority of equipment for the electricity industry is produced domestically, and the supply chain from production to distribution is entirely local, meaning that in case of any damage, equipment can be supplied and losses compensated within the country, Rajabi Mashhadi said.
Over the past 22 years, Iran's electricity grid has not experienced a nationwide collapse, while many developed and regional countries have faced multiple widespread blackouts in the past five years, he noted.
This year, Iran has also seen more favorable weather conditions compared to last year, leading to lower electricity consumption relative to the same period last year, he said. Peak electricity demand in the third week of the Iranian year, which began on March 21, reached 38,755 megawatts on Thursday, April 9. This compares to 49,817 megawatts during the same period last year, representing a 22% decrease in national electricity consumption, he added.
"However, it should not be forgotten that the country is in special conditions, and people must continue to practice optimal electricity consumption," Rajabi Mashhadi said.