Iran: Thermal Power Plants Expand

Thermal power capacity has risen by 16% or 9,000 megawatts over the past six years.
According to the Energy Ministry news portal, the output has increased from 56,000 MW in 2013 to 65,000 MW now.
An estimated 123 thermal power stations are in operation of which 20 were built in the 6-year period.
With installed capacity of 65 gigawatts, Iran ranks ninth in terms of thermal power capacity in the world.
Total power capacity in the world is 6,628 GW, of which 4,017 GW is thermal using fossil fuels.
In Iran steam-powered, gas-powered and combined-cycle plants comprise 80% of the total electricity production of 85 GW.
China, the US, India, Japan, Russia, Germany, South Korea and Saudi Arabia have larger thermal capacity and are ranked first to eighth respectively. 
Steam, gas and combined-cycle units constitute 16 GW, 25 GW and 23 GW of the thermal stations respectively.
In a thermal power station heat energy is converted to electric power. 
Energy from a thermal power plant not utilized in power production must leave the plant in the form of heat into the environment. This wasted heat can go through a condenser and be disposed with cooling water or in cooling towers. 
Domestic installed power generation capacity has reached 85,000 MW, up 23% compared to 2015. The number of national grid transformers, electrical devices to transfer power by means of changing magnetic fields has risen 23% to 725,000. The government and private sector have invested $12 billion in power industry since 2013.