A total of 58,000 villages in Iran have access to electricity, which means 99.7% of rural regions are connected to the power grid, the head of Iran Power Generation, Distribution and Transmission Company (Tavanir) said.
“The rest lacking electricity are nomads and this is while the average index of electrified villages in the world is 15%,” Arash Kordi was also quoted as saying by ISNA on Monday.
The number of rural areas linked to the national power grid has increased by 15-fold over the past four decades, he added.
Over 25,000 kilometers of distribution networks have been established to connect more than 21 million rural subscribers to the power grid.
Referring to blackouts that created risks in various infrastructures last year, the official noted that they no longer exist, while electricity consumption reached a record 69,378 megawatts this year.
Iran experienced electricity supply and demand imbalances in the past three years mainly because of a surge in energy-intensive cryptocurrency mining and a heavier use of natural gas in manufacturing and household sectors, which caused power plants to operate at lower capacity.
Low rainfall also contributed to the power imbalance, as less electricity was generated by hydroelectric power plants.
Thermal Power Capacity at 72 GW
In related news, the deputy for projects development at the Thermal Power Plants Holding Company said the capacity of the country's thermal power plants has exceeded 72,000 MW.
Mohammed Ramezani added that so far, 599 steam and gas units have been built in 129 thermal power plants across the country.
The number of thermal units owned by the private sector has reached 393 units with a capacity of about 49,000 MW.
The official noted that Iran’s total electricity generation capacity is close to 89,000 MW, of which 81% come from thermal power plants.
“Currently, combined cycle units with a capacity of 34,246 MW, gas units with a capacity of 21,791 MW, and steam units with a capacity of 15,829 MW constitute the country's thermal power plants” he added.
According to the official, another 6,000 MW planned by the Energy Ministry will be added to the current capacity in fall.
TPPHC has started converting seven single-cycle power plants into combined-cycles after it received the green light of the government’s Economic Council.
All the seven gas-powered stations are operated by the private sector and the conversion plan is projected to cost $2.5 billion.
Aimed at enhancing power production capacity and helping to further stabilize the national power grid, the initiative will be undertaken in four years with the help of domestic engineers and locally-manufactured equipment.
Converting conventional plants into combined-cycle units is beneficial as the latter use both gas and steam turbines to produce up to 50% more electricity from the same fuel than a traditional simple cycle plant. The waste heat from the gas turbines is sent to nearby steam turbines that again generate electricity.
TPPHC has signed at least 40 contracts with domestic manufacturers to indigenize much-needed parts and equipment in the power sector to be used in new projects.
As per the agreement worth $30 million, knowledge-based firms have been tasked with producing a wide range of equipment, including turbine blades, retaining rings, rotors and compressors, especially those which were difficult to import due to the US sanctions.
The United States imposed tough economic sanctions on Iran in 2018. The blockade, particularly on the energy, banking, insurance and shipping sectors, bar US and other foreign companies from trading with Iran.
