Iran's biggest power plant in the southeast of the country was officially launched by the Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian on Wednesday, managing director of the Iran Power Development Company (IPDC) said, Mehr news agency reported.
"Iranshahr Combined Cycle Power Plant (in Sistan and Baluchestan Province) has 484 MW power generation capacity," Majid Salehi said. "The plant's gas unit comprises two turbines each with 162 MW output."
The gas unit was built with a budget of $11.8 million, Salehi noted, adding that the design and construction of the complex was "mainly carried out by domestic contractors."
Plans call for launch of the plant's steam turbine with 160 MW output in form of a combined cycle unit to help meet local power demand and improve efficiency. An unnamed contractor is slated to start construction of the steam unit under a buyback contract in the near future. Once operational, the Iranshahr plant's overall capacity will reach 484 MW.
A combined-cycle power plant uses both gas and steam turbines to produce up to 50 percent more electricity from the same fuel than a traditional simple-cycle plant.
The complex will mainly use gas as feedstock and diesel as an alternative. In addition, three storage units with a total of 60 million liters capacity have been installed to address the shortage of feedstock.
Iran's installed power capacity is estimated at more than 72,000 MW. It ranks 14th in the world and first in the Middle East in terms of electricity generation.
Petrochem Projects in PSEEZ
Two petrochemical complexes are planned to be built in the Parsian Special Economic Energy Zone (PSEEZ) in Bushehr Province, the industry, mine and trade deputy minister said.
Mehdi Karbasian said construction of two petrochemical plants in the PSEEZ in Asaluyeh will commence by the next two months. He stressed that the oil ministry has guaranteed the supply of gas as feedstock to all petrochemical projects in the PSEEZ.
The official also announced the Lamerd Energy Intensive Industrial Zone in Fars Province is now under development. The energy zone is slated to transform into a hub for petrochemicals, steel, aluminum and cement within a decade. It is also expected to create thousands of jobs, renovate the socio-economic situation of the south and bring in millions in foreign exchange.
Karbasian said a 500-MW power plant is under construction in Lamerd, among other projects, with capacity to increase output to 900 MW.
Parsian and Lamerd energy zones will feed on natural gas from the South Pars field in the Persian Gulf region.
South Pars is the world's largest gas field, shared between Iran and Qatar, covering an area of 3,700 square kilometers of Iran's territorial waters in the Persian Gulf. It adjoins Qatar’s North Field, which measures 6,000 square kilometers.
