Iran's power exchange with Turkmenistan will increase three times the current levels upon the completion and implementation of a 400-kilovolt power transmission line, a deputy energy minister said on Saturday.
“Developing the power line in 18 months is a priority for the two sides as it will help triple electricity exchange between the two neighbors,” Houshang Falahatian was quoted as saying by Mehr News Agency.
According to the official, the current electricity exchange rate with the Central Asia state is 350 megawatts which will rise to around 1 gigawatt as soon as the transmission line goes on stream.
"Feasibility studies of the 400-kV line, known as Merv-Sarakhs power transmission line, started seven years ago," said the official, adding that Iran completed laying the transmission line within its territory at a cost of $100 million.
Falahatian said the power line in Turkmen territory is expected to be completed by mid-2018.
Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow signed a decree in 2014, allowing the country's state-owned national energy company Turkmenenergo to sign a trade agreement with Iran Power Generation and Transmission Company (Tavanir).
Synchronizing Power Grids
On plans to expand power trade in the Middle East, Central Asia and the Caucasus, Falahatian said Iran and Azerbaijan have taken effective steps to synchronize their power grids to boost the exchange of electricity.
"Iran and Azerbaijan have the capacity to exchange 500MW of power," he said.
According to Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian, given Iran’s high potential in the energy sector, its power grid can be connected to networks in Europe.
"Iran’s share of electricity exports (11 gigawatt-hours) is more than its imports (4 GWh)," he said earlier this year.
Iran is also connected to Armenia through two electricity lines .A third connection is in the works to help materialize the prospective Iran-Russia power line.
According to the minister, Iran wants to attract $50 billion in investment in its electricity sector, including $35 billion for power production and $15 billion for transmission projects.
Iran’s electricity industry ranks 14th in the world and first in the Middle East in terms of electricity generation with an installed capacity of 75,000 MW.
The country is the largest exporter and importer of electricity in the Middle East and exports electricity to Pakistan, Turkey, Iraq and Afghanistan. Azerbaijan and Armenia supply electricity to Iran under a swap agreement.
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