The Thermal Power Plants Holding Company has indigenized more than 724,000 parts and equipment used in power plants in the last five years, in order to make maximum use of the local manufacturing capacity, director general of the Technology and Indigenization of Power Plants Office at TPPHC said.
“Currently, close to 95% of power plant parts are manufactured domestically, which is in line with the general policies for empowering knowledge-based companies and ending dependence on foreign countries,” Ali Isapour was also quoted as saying by IRNA.
“Since the beginning of the current Iranian year [March 21], TPPHC has signed 31 contracts with knowledge-based companies at a total cost of $14.75 million for achieving indigenization and self-sufficiency in the electricity industry, improving production efficiency, increasing security and resilience, developing the use of artificial intelligence and reducing grid losses,” he added.
As 85% of the country's power production capacity come from thermal power stations, using the potential of knowledge-based firms in the past few years to produce the required parts has reduced their costs compared to the past when the needed equipment were to be imported.
A problem of thermal power plants in Iran is that many have long outlived their usefulness. Power plants built more than half a century ago are still in service, largely due to the government’s inability to replace them under the difficult economic conditions.
Equipment and parts used in power stations must be repaired or replaced after a certain period.
For improving the performance of thermal power stations during the summer, the overhaul program is carried out every year from October to May of the following year so that power plants can operate at maximum capacity in the hot season.
A major part of the repair process involves the procurement of parts and equipment, but due to sanctions, it has been difficult to import parts. As a result, in the last few years, the Energy Ministry has focused on using the capacity of knowledge-based companies and domestic manufacturers to supply power plant parts.
Components made by local companies have been approved by the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran.
In addition to complying with national standards, the parts are sent to international institutions for tests and verification.
Iran is among the top five countries in power plant construction and manufactures a variety of machineries, turbines, generators and control systems.
THPCC oversees dozens of fossil fuel power plants. Measures have been taken to convert conventional plants into combined-cycle units, 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.
