TEHRAN – Iran’s major industries are currently constructing power plants with a total capacity of 17,122 megawatts (MW) across the country to meet their electricity demands, IRNA reported.

According to the Iranian Mines and Mining Industries Development and Renovation Organization (IMIDRO), of the mentioned figure, 12,500 MW is being constructed by the steel industry, 2,000 MW is the share of the aluminum sector, 950 MW by the copper industry and 1,560 MW is for other industries.

Back in 2021, the Iranian Energy Ministry announced a program based on which the country’s major industries would construct power plants with a total capacity of 10,000 MW across the country to meet their electricity demand during peak consumption periods.

Later in November of that year, Energy Minister Ali-Akbar Mehrabian announced that the construction of 10,000 MW capacity power plants was started by various industrial sectors, saying: “Four major industries have started their work in the field of power plant construction. Based on the contract concluded with these industries, the said industries will not be provided with electricity from the national grid if they cannot deliver the power plants based on the specified schedule.”

After the primary agreement, however, more sectors stepped up to be included in the program and the initial figure has now exceeded 17,000 MW.

The nominal capacity of Iran’s power plants has reached 92,055 MW, according to the latest data released by Iran Grid Management Company (IGMC).

The IGMC data for the 10th Iranian calendar month (ended on January 20) indicate that the country’s power generation capacity has increased by 1.4 percent compared to the previous year.

As reported, the capacity of the country's gas power plants, which account for 25.3 percent of the country's total power generation capacity, also increased by 3.1 percent to 23,330 MW in the current year.

The total capacity of renewable power plants also increased by 20 percent compared to the previous year, reaching 1,120 MW.

Most of Iran’s power generation capacity is supplied by thermal power plants. Currently, combined cycle power plants account for the biggest share of the country’s total power generation capacity followed by gas power plants.

The total capacity of the country’s thermal power plants stands at over 75,000 MW, according to the Thermal Power Plant Holding (TPPH).

Increasing the country’s power generation capacity and preventing blackouts during peak consumption periods have been among the Iranian Energy Ministry’s top priorities since the current government administration took office in 2021.

In August 2021, Energy Minister Ali-Akbar Mehrabian announced that his ministry was planning to boost the country’s power generation capacity by 35,000 MW over the next four years.

EF/