An estimated 5,000 megawatts in new electricity production capacity will be added to the national grid by the next summer, the head of Iran’s Thermal Power Plants Holding Company said.
"Efforts are underway to establish some 25 power generation units across the country through next summer to prevent potential blackouts in the hot season," Mohsen Tarztalab was also quoted as saying by ILNA.
According to the official, the plan is in line with the Energy Ministry's push to bring on stream 5,000 MW of new power output capacity annually.
"A big share of it will come from a thermal source and use eco-friendly fossil fuels such as natural gas and liquid fuels as feedstock," he said.
Around 65,000 MW, or 80% of Iran's 800,000-MW output, is generated from thermal plants that burn fossil fuels. In addition, 12,000 MW are derived from hydroelectric plants and 1,000 MW from the single nuclear power plant in Bushehr.
Besides constructing new power plants, the government is pushing measures to convert conventional plants into efficient combined-cycle units that use both gas and steam turbines to produce up to 50% more electricity.
Iran needs the new capacity to shore up domestic power supply and increase electricity exchange with neighbors as part of a scheme to establish a regional power network.
Pointing to an all-time peak power demand of 58,000 MW registered in July, up from about 54,000 MW in the fiscal 2017-18, Tarztalab said the new supply capacity is expected to help the Energy Ministry avoid periodic outages during the hot summer when demand peaks for cooling homes and businesses. The ministry has forecast electricity demand to exceed 58,000 MW next summer, based on this year's experience.
Despite heavy reliance on hydrocarbons, the country is also taking measures to raise the share of renewables by 1,000 MW per year from about 640 MW at present.
