The efficiency of thermal power plants improved 2% in 2020 to reach 40% and cut natural gas consumption (feedstock) by two billion cubic meters, managing director of Iran's Thermal Power Plants Holding Company said.
“As efficiency increases, less natural gas is used in the power stations,” ISNA quoted Mohsen Tarztalab as saying.
An estimated 44 billion cubic meters of gas is consumed annually in Iran’s 123 thermal power plants that produce 300 billion kilowatt hours of electricity, the TPPHC chief said and added that 1% rise in efficiency helps cut gas use by 1 bcm per year.
Last year, nine steam units with a capacity of 1,500 megawatts became operational in Kermanshah, Tehran, North Khorasan, Bushehr and Mazandaran provinces.
Referring to projects underway to further boost efficiency, he said four steam units in Heris Combined-Cycle Plant (East Azarbaijan), Jahrom Power Plant in Fars Province, Urmia Power Station (East Azarbaijan) and Chabahar Power Plant in Sistan-Baluchestan Province will come on stream by July.
Construction of three F-class gas turbines with 58% efficiency will be completed in Tehran in the current fiscal (started March 21) and raise average power plants’ efficiency to 42%.
The modern turbines consume less gas and are environmentally-friendly. Electricity generation in a simple-cycle and combined-cycle power plant rises to 40% and 59%, respectively, with the help of F-class turbines manufactured by Mapna Group-- Iran's engineering and energy giant.
Energy efficiency of a conventional thermal power station typically is 38%. Combined-cycle systems have higher levels (around 55%).
A combined-cycle power plant uses both gas and steam turbines to produce up to 55% more electricity from the same fuel than a traditional simple cycle plant. The waste heat from the gas turbine is sent to nearby steam turbines to generate electricity.
The government has said it wants to phase out inefficient power plants, improve aging electricity infrastructure and improve access to advanced power production technology.
"Under regulations outlined by the Energy Ministry, all new power plants must have efficiency rates of 50% and above," the TPPHC boss recalled.
Iran has an installed capacity of 85,000 MW. Thermal units either use steam, gas-powered or combined-cycle turbines and account for 66,000 MW of the total electricity output.
Thermal power plants are preparing for summer when consumption reaches its peak. “All thermal power plants will have undergone routine overhaul by summer to improve efficiency and output,” the senior official said.
“Almost 90% of routine repairs and maintenance of gas and steam units is over and power stations are prepared before the start of summer,” he was quoted as saying.
Overhaul operations normally begin in early September and end in May of the following year.
