In line with efforts to fast-track power plant construction projects, a 460-megawatt power station in Mazandaran Province, Noshahr County, will become operational by May, managing director of Mahtaab Caspian Electricity Generation Company, the project financier, said.
"The long-awaited venture, which is aimed at meeting electricity demand, especially in western Mazandaran Province, and compensating the regional network voltage drop, has registered a work-in- progress rate of 80% and its gas unit will come on stream in early May," Yaser Golzari was also quoted as saying by IRNA.
According to the official, the combined-cycle plant includes both gas and steam turbines with an efficiency of 33% and 59% respectively.
"The gas unit, with a capacity to generate 310 megawatts of power, will be ready in a month," he said, noting that plans are in place to inaugurate the steam unit with a capacity of 150 MW in 2019.
Asked about funding issues, he said the venture is expected to be completed at an estimated cost of $320 million, of which $265 million have been withdrawn from the National Development Fund of Iran, the country's beleaguered sovereign-wealth fund, and the rest has been paid by the financier.
Commenting on the long delay in the commencement of the project, Golzari noted that besides financial constraints, international sanctions impeded the progress as it was impossible to import the much-needed equipment purchased from Italy, yet the implementation of Iran's 2015 nuclear deal gave fresh impetus to the venture.
According to the official, the project's investee is Iran Power Generation, Distribution and Transmission Company that purchases produced capacity and energy in accordance with an energy conversion agreement for a period of time. Upon the expiry of guaranteed purchase period, electricity produced by the power plant shall be offered to the network.
Improving Efficiency
Iran has decided to phase out inefficient power plants, improve the aging electricity infrastructure and move toward modern power production technology, Mohsen Tarztalab, the head of Iran's Thermal Power Plants Holding Company, said.
"Under regulations outlined by the Energy Ministry, all new power plant units must have an efficiency of 58% and above," he said.
With an installed power production capacity of around 75,000 megawatts, Iran meets almost 80% of its electricity demand from aging thermal plants operating for decades. It is reported that steps have been taken to gradually convert the conventional plants into efficient combined-cycle units.
Close to 12,000 MW are produced from hydroelectric plants and 1,000 MW from the sole nuclear power plant in Bushehr in the south. The Energy Ministry is fast-tracking power plant construction projects to create at least 25,000 MW in new production capacity by 2021.
