Electricity consumption nationwide jumped to 49,000 MW on Saturday, up 8,000 MW compared with the same period in 2022 and this is while the hot season has not started yet.
According to data from Iran Grid Management Company, industries accounted for 7 gigawatts of the total consumption on Saturday, IRNA reported.
Last year's highest peak demand was about 67 GW in July, which is projected to surpass 72 GW this summer.
Iran has experienced electricity supply and demand imbalances over 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 has caused power plants to operate at lower capacity.
“The nationwide project to overhaul thermal power plants to improve their output, which started last September, will be completed by mid-May and all stations are expected to become fully operational,” Esmaeil Namazi, director general of the Technical Office at the Thermal Power Plants Holding Company, said.
“About 583 gas and steam units in 129 power plants will be ready by June to help ensure sustainable supply during the peak demand period.”
THPCC oversees dozens of fossil fuel power plants with an installed capacity of over 72,000 MW – the bulk of Iran's electricity demand. It is also in charge of developing 7,000 MW of gas-powered units in Shiraz, Tabriz, Kashan, Urmia and Chabahar combined cycle power plants.
An estimated 351 billion kilowatt-hours of power were generated in thermal power stations between July 2021 and June 2022, he added.
The official said the massive output, indicating a 7% growth compared to a year ago, accounted for 95% of total electricity produced in Iran last year.
Giving a breakdown, Namazi said that of the 351 billion kWh, steam-powered plants, gas-powered stations and combined-cycle plants generated 93 billion kWh, 65 billion kWh and 193 billion kWh respectively in the 12-month period.
According to the official, hydropower plants, the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, distributed generation stations and renewables constitute the rest of the production.
“Over 129 thermal power stations with around 72 gigawatts of capacity are operational,” he said.
Production Capacity
THPCC, a subsidiary of the Energy Ministry, has added 4,500 MW to its production capacity over the period.
Iran’s installed power generation capacity has reached 90 gigawatts, of which 72,600 MW are produced in thermal power plants and the rest is generated by hydroelectric, renewable, nuclear and cogeneration units.
Despite the new additions to the capacity, power authorities have been repeatedly requesting households and industrial sectors to reduce consumption, especially during peak hours.
The government is implementing different plans to curtail demand, one of which is changing working hours in state-run offices as of June to avoid power outages.
“Offices are obliged to start work at 6 a.m. so that Iran Power Generation, Distribution and Transmission Company [Tavanir] can meet power demand during peak hours that start at 2 p.m.,” he said.
State organizations’ power consumption is constantly monitored remotely and their electricity supply will be cut off if they do not comply with Tavanir’s regulations.
Changing working hours is expected to help with load management in provincial capitals, big cities and towns.
The initiative is projected to reduce power consumption by as much as 1,000 MW.
As per the hour shifting scheme, staff will start work at 6:00 a.m. instead of 7:30 a.m. and leave at 1:30 p.m. instead of 2:30 p.m.
The program calls for state organizations to switch off all cooling systems after 12:00 p.m. and reduce consumption by at least 30% in other sections (lighting, computers and other electrical appliances) between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m.
