TEHRAN - The electricity output of Iran’s hydroelectric power plants in the first month of the current Iranian calendar year (March 20-April 19) increased by nine percent compared to its previous month (February 20-March 19).

As reported by the portal of Energy Ministry (known as Paven), since the beginning of the current water year up to the end of the first calendar month of Farvardin, the country’s hydropower output reached 2,095 gigawatt hours, registering a 75 percent fall compared to the same period last year.

Currently, 55 hydroelectric power plants with a total capacity of 12,169 megawatts (MW) are operational across the country, while 17 power plants with a total capacity of 3,517 MW are under construction and another 217 power plants projects are also going through the research stages.

The mentioned operational power plants every year generate 27,696 GWh of electricity on average.

According to the latest data provided by the Energy Ministry, 16 of the mentioned 55 power plants are located in the Caspian Sea basin, while 25 are located adjacent to the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea, one is near Urmia Lake and finally, 13 are located in central Iran.

Iran’s current power generation capacity stands at about 85 GW of which the share of hydroelectric power stands at nearly 16 percent.

The country’s total power generation capacity stood at about 83,350 MW at the end of the past Iranian calendar year 1398 (March 19), up from the 80,000 MW of its preceding year.

Currently, combined cycle power plants account for the biggest share in the country’s total power generation capacity followed by gas power plants.

EF/MA