TEHRAN – In its bid to further develop export of electricity to Iraq, Iran is planning to build new power transmission lines to that country, an official at the Gharb Regional Power Company said.

The line, capable of transferring 230 kilowatts of electrical energy will be built to carry Iran’s electricity from its bordering city of Saqez to the northern parts of Iraq, the Persian service of Iran’s Petroenergy Information Network (PIN) quoted Qolam-Reza Khosh-Kholq, managing director of the company as saying on Monday.

He estimated the costs of the project to stand at about 120 billion rials and added that another line capable of transferring 63 kilowatts is planned to carry more of Iran’s electricity form Marivan to the Panjewain region in Iraq.

Given Iraq’s increasing demand for the commodity, exports of Iran’s electrical energy to its neighboring country is expected to rise to 1,000 megawatts soon.