Power Grid Covers Almost Entire Rural Areas

An estimated 21 million people live in rural areas in Iran and less than 100,000 do not have access to electricity. 
The issue is being addressed by the government, the operator for rural electricity expansion in the government-affiliated Power Generation, Distribution and Transmission Company (Tavanir) said Wednesday.
"Length of the national power distribution network now stretches over 800,000 kilometers, of which 250,000 km is for supplying electricity to underdeveloped rural communities," Ali Chehel Amirani was quoted as saying by ILNA.
Close to 2,700 small rural communities were linked to the national power grid since 2013. Giving a break down, he said 57,300 villages and small towns, including 4.5 million households, are now connected to the grid.
"Close to half the rural power infrastructure is ramshackle and 85% of Tavanir's budget usually goes for renovation instead of development programs," he said, adding that despite funding constraints, 600 villages will be linked to the national grid by next March.
Energy Ministry data show that $120 million has been spent to expand the rural power grid since 2013.
Funding went largely for installing towers, build substations for transmission and distribution, expanding high voltage power transmission lines and aerial transmission cables.
All rural communities with over 20 households (31,000 households) are now connected to the national power network. Plans are underway to connect small rural areas with more than 10 households a piece to the grid and so far 57,000 have access to electricity.
Close to 4,850 nomadic households in remote areas also have access to renewables, namely solar and wind power.