Iranian experts manufactured the first fully-indigenized hydropower turbine.
The turbine, which is of vertical Francis type, was installed in Azad Dam 10-megawatt power plant in Kurdestan Province.
President Hassan Rouhani inaugurated the project on Sunday in Sanandaj, the central city of Kurdestan Province, Tasnim News Agency reported.
The achievement is noteworthy, as Iran used to be an importer of such turbines.
Francis turbines are the most common water turbine in use today. They operate in a water head from 40 to 600 meters and are primarily used for electrical power production.
Electric generators, which use this type of turbine, have a power output ranging from just a few kilowatts up to 800 MW, though mini-hydro installations may be lower.
Francis turbines are almost always mounted with the shaft vertical to keep water away from the attached generator and to facilitate installation and maintenance access to it and the turbine.
