TEHRAN - Iran’s Oil Ministry has significantly ramped up natural gas deliveries to key industrial sectors in the early weeks of the new Iranian year, following a successful winter of uninterrupted supply to households.

According to the National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC), a total of 6.49 billion cubic meters of gas was delivered to power plants, petrochemical units, steelmakers, and cement factories from March 20 to April 7, 2025—marking a 6.89 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

The power generation sector recorded the highest volume and growth, receiving 3.63 billion cubic meters of gas—up from 3.39 billion the previous year. This rise underscores the Oil Ministry’s focus on ensuring stable electricity production, particularly as the country prepares for increased energy demand in the summer months.

Petrochemical plants were supplied with 1.51 billion cubic meters of gas during the 18-day period, up 5.13 percent year-on-year. The increase is aligned with Iran’s strategy to expand domestic production, strengthen its downstream supply chain, and boost non-oil exports.

Gas deliveries to the steel sector rose by 8.3 percent to 869 million cubic meters, while cement producers received 474 million cubic meters—a nearly 9 percent increase over the previous year. The figures point to a broader rebound in industrial activity and reflect the government’s commitment to supporting productive sectors as part of its “Investment for Production” agenda for 2025.

This early-year surge in gas allocation to industry follows a winter in which household heating took priority due to severe cold weather. Now, with residential demand easing, the Oil Ministry is redirecting energy resources to bolster industrial output and drive economic growth.

The ministry's balanced energy management approach—ensuring household needs are met during peak winter while ramping up industrial supply afterward—signals a coordinated national effort to accelerate industrial revival and capitalize on Iran’s vast natural gas reserves to fuel sustainable development.

EF/MA