TEHRAN – The project for synchronizing the electricity networks of Iran and Russia through Azerbaijan will start in the next Iranian calendar year’s second month (begins on April 21), an official with the Iranian Energy Ministry announced.

According to Mohammad-Ali Farahnakian, the deputy energy minister for international affairs, half of the project’s primary studies have been conducted and completed and the executive operation of the project is expected to begin in late April after all three countries send comprehensive reports to the Iranian consultant of the project.

“Russia and many other neighboring countries have winter peaks consumption periods, while about 40 percent of our electricity capacity is left unused in the winter and our power plants go through an overhaul in the cold season, so we can use this capacity to supply the electricity needed by our neighbors in winter through connecting our power grid with those of such countries,” Farahnakian said regarding the benefits of the synchronization project.

In return, Iran can use the power generation capacity of its neighbors, like Russia, during the summer when the consumption in Iran increases drastically, he stated.

“Synchronizing the electricity network with neighboring countries has many other benefits as well, such as when the power grids are connected to each other, the stability of the network will be greatly increased,” the official added.

The official noted that there are two possible routes for the synchronization of Iran and Russia’s power grids, one of which is through Armenia and Georgia and the other is through Azerbaijan.

Back in December 2021, Iranian Energy Minister Ali-Akbar Mehrabian had expressed the Islamic Republic’s readiness for joining the country’s electricity network to those of Azerbaijan and Russia.

Making the remarks in a meeting with Azerbaijan’s Ambassador to Tehran Ali Alizadeh, Mehrabian emphasized Iran’s readiness for the development and continuation of electricity exchange between Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, saying: "Studies have been conducted on electricity cooperation among Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia and Iran is ready to start synchronizing its electricity network with these countries."

As one of the major players in West Asia’s energy market, Iran is now emerging as a major electricity hub in the region as the country is following a comprehensive plan for synchronizing its power grid with the neighboring countries.

Iraq was the first neighbor whose national electricity network was synchronized with the Islamic Republic’s power grid back in November 2019, and now the Energy Ministry is following a plan to connect the electricity networks of Russia and Azerbaijan with the Iranian grid.

Earlier in September 2021, former Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian had announced that a research project for the synchronization of the electricity networks of Iran, Azerbaijan, and Russia was underway by the ministry.

EF/MA