Khuzestan Regional Electricity Company has generated close to 30,000 megawatt hours of power between March and November, a deputy manager at the provincial power company said.
“Power consumption in the eight months hit 34 GWh, a part of which was supplied by neighboring provinces, as all power stations in the national grid are synchronized,” Mehrdad Beladi Mousavi was also quoted as saying by ISNA.
Giving a breakdown, he noted that of the total output, the share of thermal power stations, hydroelectric power plants and combined-cycle facilities amounted to 70%, 29% and 1% respectively.
According to the official, of the total production in thermal power plants (21,000 MWh), private power plants, namely Fajr, Zargan, Abadan, Khorramshahr and Behbahan accounted for 60% and the rest was generated by state-run power stations, including Ramin and Mahshahr.
“Electricity consumption in the period in the area was up 3% compared to a year ago,” he added
Power use reached a peak at 5,200 megawatts in November, showing an 18% rise compared with the same period of last year.
“Electricity projects worth $250 million are underway in the oil-rich region to prevent industrial townships and households from the adverse impact of voltage fluctuations,” he said.
“Peak power demand in Iran reached 69,500 megawatts in July, of which 12% were consumed in the southern Khuzestan Province. This area will face a serious deficit in the coming years unless infrastructures are developed.”
Daily power consumption in Khuzestan hovers around 4.5 gigawatts in winter, but as the weather gets warmer in summer and the temperature exceeds 50 degrees Celsius, consumption triples between June and August.
Mobile Substation
Referring to plans completed in the region over the last 12 months, Mousavi said a 230/33-kilovolt power substation and a 132/33-kilovolt mobile substation were synchronized with the national power grid in June.
“Costing $30 million, the new installations will stabilize power supply in and around Ahvaz from the adverse impact of voltage fluctuations in the hot summer when electricity consumption peaks in the region. The two substations are equipped with 100-megavolt-ampere and 30-megavolt-ampere transformers, which will improve the stability of power transmission in the local grid,” he said.
According to Meysam Shahniani, Khuzestan Steel Company's deputy for planning, a new 400-kilovolt gas-powered substation is expected to become operational in Ahvaz soon.
“The facility will help provide the much-needed electricity for the largest steel mills in the region, namely Khuzestan Steel Company and Khuzestan Oxin Steel Company,” he added.
Built by the steel giants at an estimated cost of $75 million, the substation will be linked to the national grid as soon as trials are carried out successfully.
Shahniani noted that the project entailed the installation of power cables and four 315-megavolt transformers that will help reduce the power load in Ahvaz during peak power demand.
A 400-kV power transmission line has already been completed in the region and as soon as the substation comes on stream, the 400-kV electricity that comes from Ahvaz power plant will be converted to 132-Kv before its distribution in the steel factories.
A substation reduces the high voltage of power transmission to suitable voltage for supply to consumers.
Close to 70% of the venture was funded by Khuzestan Steel Company and the rest was financed by Khuzestan Oxin Steel Company.
Located in the southern province of Khuzestan, Oxin Steel is Iran’s biggest producer of heavy plates and has a capacity of 1 million tons per year. It also has a direct-reduction iron plant and a slab mill, each with a capacity of 1 million tons per year.
There are 84 steel mills in Iran and its biggest steelmaker, Mobarakeh Steel Company, accounts for 18% of total production capacity with 7.2 million tons per year.
Khuzestan Steel Company comes next with 3.8 million tons, which was followed by Esfahan Steel Company with 3.6 million tons and South Kaveh Steel Company with 2.4 million tons.
Khuzestan is a major oil-producing region of Iran. It holds 80% of Iran's onshore oil reserves and 57% of Iran's total oil reserves, making it indispensable to the Iranian economy.
