The construction of nine thermal power stations across the country, which started in February, has registered 60% progress, a deputy managing director of Iran Power Generation, Distribution and Transmission Company (Tavanir) said.
“The power plants, which are being built with the investment of industries, will have a generation capacity of 5,300 megawatts,” Seyyed Zaman Hosseini was also quoted as saying by IRNA.
Giving a breakdown, he noted that the facilities in Semnan, Isfahan, Khuzestan, Yazd, Kerman, Khorasan, Hormozgan, Markazi and Sistan-Baluchestan provinces have registered a work-in-progress rate of 90%, 86%, 72%, 64%, 57%, 50%, 48%, 24% and 22% respectively in four months.
“All thermal power plants will be equipped with MAP2B gas turbines manufactured by MAPNA Group, Iran's top engineering and energy firm,” he added.
According to the official, Shahid Bakeri Power Plant in Semnan, with a capacity of 183 megawatts, will be connected to the network by June and the second gas unit will become operational a month later.
“In the first phase, gas units of the power plant will be launched with a total nominal capacity of 366 MW and in the second phase, with the construction of a steam unit, the plant will become a combined-cycle one,” he added.
Last year, the engineering and energy giant MAPNA Group signed a deal with Mines and Metals Development Investment Company to develop the combined-cycle power plant in Semnan.
The deal stipulates design, engineering, procurement, installation and commissioning of two advanced gas units equipped with MAPNA’s own E-Class gas turbines.
Hosseini, who is also director of Tavanir’s project for the construction of power plants by mining industries, commented on last year’s agreement between the Energy Ministry and the Ministry of Industries, Mining and Trade for the construction of power plants by industries.
“According to the memorandum of understanding, 10,000 MW of power stations were initially decided to be built by industries, but due to the high potentials, the figure was increased to 17,000 MW. This includes 15,000 MW of combined-cycle power plants and 2,000 MW of renewable stations, which will be established in 15 provinces,” he said.
Combined-Cycle Plants
Speaking about the combined-cycle plants, the official said typically one-third of their capacity is dedicated to steam units, which will be built next to the gas units and will not need fuel as feedstock.
Referring to the construction of 2,000-MW renewable power plants, Hosseini said, “These power stations will also be built next to or near thermal power plants to make use of their facilities to connect to the grid.”
Industries can play a key role in boosting electricity output by embarking on power plant development projects, in which case they will no longer be at the mercy of the state-run Tavanir. This will enable them to use their own power generating plants and not be dependent on the national power grid.
In fact, industries account for 40% of Iran’s annual power consumption of 280 billion kilowatt hours.
Mining and manufacturing industries were negatively affected by the power supply crisis last summer, as they were forced to halt operations repeatedly in June and July because the state-run utility company could not produce sufficient electricity.
When heavy industrial customers are equipped with their own power stations, they will not need to stop their business in summer when electricity demand exceeds supply.
If industries complete their power projects, the Energy Ministry guarantees that adequate power will be supplied to factories even during peak demand hours, regardless of households’ consumption level.
“If and when heavy industrial customers are equipped with their own power generation systems, they will not need to shift consumption from peak [11 p.m. to 7 a.m.] to off-peak hours. Nor will they have to stop their business in summer when demand exceeds supply,” Hosseini said.
Mining and manufacturing industries have borne the brunt of the recent power supply crisis, as they were forced to halt operations repeatedly last July because the state-run utility company could not produce sufficient electricity.
Frequent power outages in Iran have adversely affected industrial units, taking a toll on electrical equipment and reducing efficiency.
