Iraq is in dire need to increase its electricity output and has expressed interest in buying the entire electricity output of Gotvand power station, said deputy executive director of Gotvand dam and power station project.
They discussed the issue during sessions with the energy ministry, "showing readiness to buy the entire electricity produced from Gotvand, at international prices," Ali Akbar Gholam-Rezaiy was quoted by Tasnim news agency as saying.
Iraq's electricity network is synchronized with that of Iran, and due to proximity of Gotvand power station to Iraq, the electricity can be easily transferred.
Phase one of the Gotvand power station with a capacity of 1000 megawatts (MW) has gone operational, the official said adding that in addition to four 150MW units of the first phase, four other units of 175 MW are due for construction. The building of the second phase is completed; only equipment and apparatus need to be installed.
Gotvand dam is an embankment dam on the Karun River in southern Khuzestan Province. It currently has an installed capacity of 1,000MW with another 1,000MW in the works for a second phase.
Phase 2 is estimated to be completed in 2015, and the dam is going to become one of Iran's largest power stations, already being the country's tallest earth-fill dam.
Iraq's minister of electricity, Qassim al-Fahdawi, came to Tehran on Tuesday to discuss issues with his Iranian counterpart, Hamid Chitchian. It is reported that negotiations centered on increased electricity exports from Iran to the Arab country.
The two sides are also expected to discuss the capacities of exporting technical and engineering services from Iran to Iraq. Expansion of economic ties between Tehran and Baghdad as well as implementation of previous deals were also discussed in the meeting between the two officials. Oil minister, Bijan Namdar Zanganeh, also had meetings with his Iraqi counterpart Adel Abdul-Mehdi, in Tehran on Wednesday.
According to Tasnim, Iranian companies have so far completed 10 projects in Iraq in the area of water and electricity and another 27 projects valued at $1.2 billion are underway.
Iran’s electricity industry ranks 14th in the world and first in the Middle East in terms of power generation with an installed capacity of 67,806MW.
The country is the largest exporter and importer of electricity in the Middle East and exports electric power to Armenia, Pakistan, Turkey, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Azerbaijan and Armenia supply electricity to Iran under a swap agreement.