Due to the systemic decline in precipitation over the past several years, hydropower plants did not generate as much power as needed and that led to problems in power supply in some regions in the country, including some districts in Tehran, in summer.
In the hot season this year, Tehran had 42 hours of power cut, the managing director of the state-owned Tehran Province Electricity Distribution Company said Sunday.
“The blackouts happened in two weeks, about three hours every day, in some parts of the city,” ISNA quoted Hossein Sabouri as saying.
To prevent blackouts next summer in Tehran, Sabouri said there are plans to enhance the efficiency of power plants and convince households and industries of the crucial need for judicious consumption. Higher tariffs for heavy consumers are also in the cards.
National installed power capacity is close to 79,000 MW but a lot less is produced in the hot seasons due to wastage, water shortage in hydroelectric dams plus routine technical problems.
Most of the wastage is caused due to the outdated electricity infrastructure, dilapidated distribution systems and electricity theft.
Annual precipitation in Iran is a third of the global average. Years of drought and water overconsumption have harmed the already dwindling water resources, leading to steep decline in water in hydroelectric dams.
As usual persistent appeals for judicious use of water, electricity and gas have fallen on deaf ears and high consumption patterns stubbornly refuse to change.
Cause for Concern
The result has been acute water shortages in large parts of the country and rolling blackouts in summer forcing some rural folks to abandon their dwelling places and migrate to the overcrowded cities to make a living. This critical development has caused serious concern among policy and decision makers who rightly fear the consequences of such migration trends on demographics and its disastrous economic impact.
In summer of this year there were reports that water was supplied in tanker trucks to hundreds of remote areas, especially in parched regions in the southern regions.
Doing away with malfunctioning equipment, supply lines, utility posts, cables and electric meters as well as controlling illegal use (theft) of electricity are among measures taken by the relevant bodies to reduce electricity loss.
The good news is that higher precipitation has been seen in the current water year (started Sept. 23), bringing some respite and reducing the huge water deficit seen for painfully extended periods across the country.
Annually 1,000 billion rials ($6.7 million) is spent on optimization and modernization of Tehran's electricity network, the official said, adding that in Tehran the only concern is during the peak hours.
"During the rest of the day we have surplus electricity production and as such there is no need for constructing new power plants. The problem can be solved by efficient management of consumption.”
