The gas-powered unit of Butia Iranian Steel Company’s Combined-Cycle Power Plant in southern Kerman Province was synchronized with the national grid on Thursday, the deputy for projects development at the Thermal Power Plants Holding Company said.
“The unit, which added 310 megawatts of electricity to the grid, runs on advanced F-Class turbines with an efficiency rate of 59%,” Mohammad Ramezani was also quoted as saying by the Energy Ministry’s news portal.
The construction of the plant's steam unit has made 82% progress and is expected to become operational by March 2023, he added.
“The 460-MW Butia project in Zarand County consists of a 310-MW gas unit and a steam unit with a production capacity of 150 MW.”
A combined-cycle power plant uses both gas and steam turbines to produce up to 50% more electricity from the same fuel than a traditional simple-cycle plant. Waste heat from the gas turbine is routed to the nearby steam turbine to generate electricity.
Ramezani noted that with an above average efficiency, the plant will help meet ecological standards. The plant is located on a 45-hectare land, which is larger than similar plants producing 460 MW of power.
Modern technology used in the plant will also help reduce gas consumption by up to 100 million cubic meters per year.
Besides, the plant will also use 30% less water compared to similar plants.
Installed Capacity
Thermal power stations, with an installed generation capacity of 3,500 MW, have become operational in the last 12 months, the TPPHC official said.
“With the synchronization of 16 gas and steam units with the national grid in thermal power plants, the capacity of Iran's thermal power plants has reached 72,000 MW,” he added.
Giving a breakdown, Ramezani said gas units of Hengam Power Plant in Bandar Abbas, Hormozgan Province, Pasargad Power Station on Qeshm Island and Mianroud in Dezful, Khuzestan Province, Aryan Power Plant in Zanjan Province, Mahtab Kavir Power Plant in Zarand County, Kerman Province, and Iran LNG Power Plant in Kangan County, Bushehr Province, have become operational during the period to add 2,000 MW to the network.
The steam units in Jahrom Power Plant in Fars Province, Haris and Urmia power stations in East and West Azarbaijan provinces, Chabahar Power Plant in Sistan-Baluchestan Province and Besat Power Station in Asalouyeh in Bushehr Province have added 1,500 MW to Iran’s thermal power generation capacity.
“So far, 598 steam and gas units have been built in 129 thermal power plants in the country,” he said.
Ramezani noted that 67% of the total capacity of thermal power plants in the country are owned by the private sector.
Iran’s total electricity generation capacity has surpassed 90,000 MW and another 6,000 MW planned by the Energy Ministry will be added to the current capacity in fall.
Meanwhile, TPPHC has started converting seven simple-cycle power plants into combined-cycles after it received the green light of the government’s Economic Council.
