An estimated 270 billion kilowatt-hours of power have been produced in Iran’s 130 thermal power stations since March 2022, said a deputy manager at Iran's Thermal Power Plants Holding Company.
“Of the total output, steam-powered plants, gas-powered stations and combined-cycle plants generated 84 billion kWh, 59 billion kWh and 127 billion kWh respectively in the nine-month period,” Nasser Eskandari was also quoted as saying by the Energy Ministry’s news service.
The official said thermal power facilities account for 93% of Iran’s total power demand in summer, but when demand falls, the figure declines to 80%.
“Timely repair and maintenance of thermal facilities will help them work at full capacity in summer,” he added.
Upgrading, repair and maintenance of thermal power plants will add 700 MW to the total output.
“Overhaul starts every year in September and ends in April of the following year. This year, 583 gas and steam units in 130 power plants were overhauled before the demand peaked in June,” he said.
According to Eskandari, an estimated 359 billion kWh of power were produced in Iran in 2021, of which 91% were generated in thermal power stations.
TPPHC has signed at least 40 contracts with domestic manufacturers to indigenize much-needed parts and equipment in the power sector.
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.
Gas Turbine Blades
Eskandari noted that all the gas turbine blades, which use high technology and were difficult to import due to the US sanctions, have been fabricated by domestic startups.
Thermal plants account for 80% of total power output (90 gigawatts) in the country of 85 million people.
Over 130 thermal power stations with around 72 gigawatts of capacity are operational.
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,” Ali Isapour, director general of the Technology and Indigenization of Power Plants Office at TPPHC, said.
Components made by local companies have been approved by the Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran.
In addition to upholding national standards, the parts are sent to international institutions for tests and verification.
The official said $1 million have been earmarked for R&D projects, including those of universities.
Iran is among the top five countries in power plant construction and manufactures a variety of machineries, turbines, generators and control systems.
THPCC, a subsidiary of the Energy Ministry, oversees dozens of fossil fuel power plants. It is also in charge of building 7,000 MW of gas-powered units for the Shiraz, Tabriz, Kashan, Urmia and Chabahar combined cycle power plants.
Steps 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. The waste heat from the gas turbines is sent to nearby steam turbines that again generate electricity.
In a thermal power station, heat energy is converted to electric power.
Energy from a thermal power plant not utilized in power production is released in the form of heat into the environment. This waste heat can go through a condenser and be disposed with cooling water or in cooling towers.
