A contract has been signed between the Iranian public sector and a German investment company for the construction of a 100-megawatt wind power plant and a 40-MW photovoltaic power station in Arvand Free Trade Zone,
The first phase of the project, to be implemented by Khuzestan Regional Electricity Company, Arvand Free Zone Organization and the German Tose'eh Zist Arvand investment company, envisages the generation of 130,000 MW-hour of power per annum via 30 wind turbines in the Arvand Free Trade Zone, managing director of Arvand Free Trade Zone, Esmaeil Zamani, was quoted as saying by IRNA.
Zamani said the first phase includes the construction of a 48-MW power plant in less than 18 months, while the second phase envisages building a 58-MW power plant by 2019.
"State-of-the-art wind turbines will be imported from Germany, at a cost of about €40.4 million," the project's German investor, Frank Riesbeck, said.
"During the construction phase, the project will create 100 direct jobs and 20 jobs in management, maintenance, repairs and operations after the wind farm is commissioned."
In later phases, the Iranian company investing in the project on behalf of the German investor will also build a 20-MW solar plant in an area covering 50 hectares, at a cost of €20.8 million. Another 20-MW solar power plant is also planned to be built in a 40-hectares area, the total cost of which is estimated at €20.8 million.
The 40-MW photovoltaic power plant also includes 20-MW solar and 20-MW thermal power plants.
A water purification system will also be constructed for water desalination and washing solar panels in an area of 2 hectares with an investment of €200,000, which will create 15 jobs, according to Riesbeck.
The purchase of generated electricity will be guaranteed by Khuzestan Regional Electricity Company on behalf of the Energy Ministry at a price of 4,970 rials ($0.14) per megawatt-hour.
"According to preliminary estimates, 300 MW of electricity will be generated between 2016 and 2019 via wind turbines in Mahshahr and Abadan, of which 100 MW will be produced in Arvand Free Zone and 200 MW in Mahshahr," Riesbeck said.
AFTZ is a 155-square-kilometer industrial and security zone located on the northwestern ridge of Persian Gulf at the confluence of Karun and Arvand rivers, and it shares border with Iraq and Kuwait.
It is one of the few free zones in the Middle East that enjoys multimodal transportation, namely rail, road, marine and air. AFTZ is the only free zone in the country that is specifically divided into industrial, tourism and trading areas. Half of the zone is reserved for commercial and transit activities.
