TEHRAN- Iran has increased its electricity generation capacity by 1,724 megawatts (MW) since the beginning of current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2017), according to a power sector’s official.

As Hamidreza Azimi, the deputy managing director for planning affairs in Thermal Power Plants Holding Company, told IRNA on Tuesday, private sector accounts for generating over 60 percent of the new capacity.

He said another 10,000 MW is projected to be added to the country’s power generation capacity by the end of current Iranian calendar year (March 20, 2018).

Iran increased its electricity generation capacity by 2,199 MW, boosting it to 76,302 MW, in the past Iranian calendar year 1395 which ended on March 20, 2017.

Natural gas power plants accounted for 75.5 percent of the increased generation capacity.

Combined cycled power plants, hydroelectric power plants, distributed generation power plants, and renewable energy power plants also accounted for 14.6 percent, 3.4 percent, 5.7 percent, and 0.9 percent of the total rise in the country’s electricity generation capacity.

MA