TEHRAN- "Iran plans to add 1,000 megawatts (MW) to the generation capacity of its power plants by the current Iranian calendar yearend (March 20, 2017)," according to Energy Minister Hamid Chitchian.

“Iran generates over 75,000 MW of electricity per annum at the present time and is scheduled to add 47,000 MW-50,000 MW to this figure in the upcoming ten years,” Tasnim news agency quoted Chitchian as saying in the opening ceremony of the 11th International Energy Conference of Iran on Monday.

“The efficiency of domestic plants will rise to 50 percent from its current 35 percent,” he added.

‘Annual electricity exports to regional countries stands at 10b kw/h’

Iranian Energy Deputy Minister Houshang Falahatian announced in the same event that the country could manage to export 10 billion kilowatts/hour of electricity to the countries in the region during the past Iranian calendar year of 1394 (ended on March 19, 2016), IRNA reported.

Boasting that Iran possesses the highest electricity generation capacity among the Middle East countries, the deputy minister said  that “some 35 percent of the total 74,000 MW of the country’s electricity generating capacity belongs to gas-fueled power plants, 25 percent goes to combined-cycle plants, and 14 percent is supplied by hydroelectric ones."

According to him, Iran could increase its electricity generation capacity by 37,000 MW during the past 10 years and now stands at the fourth place among all the countries across the world.

Being held on 30-31 May in Tehran, the 11th International Energy Conference is the greatest event of Iran in the field of energy and aims to create a forum to reach on specialized and outstanding national and international deliberations, accomplishments and contemporary research activities in energy sector.

HJ/MA