The state-run Power Generation, Distribution and Transmission Company (Tavanir) has published a report that shows electricity generated in the country in 2019 increased 6.1% compared to the previous fiscal.
According to Bargh News website, 328 billion kilowatt hours of electricity was produced namely via gas-powered, combined-cycle, hydroelectric, nuclear and renewable plants.
To produce this volume of electricity plants consumed approximately 60 million cubic meters of natural gas, 11 million liters of diesel and 6 million liters of mazut.
The report said in the last fiscal (ended in March) maximum power output approached 57,017 megawatts but demand peaked to 57,861 MW.
Of the total production capacity (57,017 MW), thermal plants accounted for 46,283 MW, up 2.7% compared to the year before.
The share of hydroelectric, nuclear and renewable power stations was 10,734 MW of the total, up 184.3% compared to 2018.
Based on the report, Iran’s installed power capacity increased by 3,011 MW in one year to reach 60,000 MW. This was up 3.7% compared with 2018.
Tavanir, a subsidiary of the Energy Ministry, said of the total new capacity (3,011 MW), 1,613 MW, 800 MW and 243 MW came from gas-powered plants, combined-cycle and distributed generation (DG) power plants, respectively.
Installed capacity of renewable energy in Iran has increased four-fold in the past five years. In 2015, the capacity of clean energy sources was 200 megawatts. Last year it was 800 MW. Furthermore, 156 MW was to hydropower capacity.
Distribution and Transmission
Regarding distribution and transmission infrastructure, the report notes that both are expanding in tandem with rising (installed power) capacity of 60 gigawatts.
Installed capacity of substations, including transmission and distribution, has reached 122,000 megavolt ampere (MVA), up 16% compared to 2016 when it was 105,000 MVA.
According to the power conglomerate, the capacity of transmission substations, including step-up and step-down stations, increased by 7,645 MVA in 2019, whereas the share of distribution substations was 7,000 MVA.
A step-up substation receives power from nearby generating facilities and uses a large power transformer to increase voltage for transmission to remote locations. Step-down substations are located at switching points in an electrical grid connecting different parts of a grid.
Distribution and transmission lines have been extended by 16,000 kilometers in 2019. The length of distribution (130,000 km) and transmission lines (815,000 km) has reached 945,000 km nationwide. Transmission lines now stretch over 815,000 kilometers, of which 15,000 km were for utility poles last year.
Transmission lines carry electricity from power stations to substations in and around cities and typically stretch over 500 kilometers or less.
Distribution lines, which carry electricity from substations to homes, industries and other end-users, have been extended by 1,000 kilometers in the said period to reach 130,000 km. Tavanir said the length of the grid is in expansion mode and would reach 817,000 km by next March.
Tavanir data illustrate that the number of electricity meters nationwide reached 36.683 million in 2019, up 1 million (2.8%) compared to its previous fiscal.
The Energy Ministry said recently that since 2013 $120 million has been spent to expand the rural power grid.
Funding went largely for installing towers, building substations for transmission and distribution, expanding high voltage transmission lines and aerial power cables.
All rural communities with over 20 households (31,000 households) are now connected to the national network.
