TEHRAN – Some 18,650 smart electricity meters have been installed across Tehran for large-scale electricity consumers, IRIB reported citing the portal of Iranian Energy Ministry (known as PAVEN).

According to the Head of Tehran Power Distribution Company, Reza Teimouri, of the mentioned number, 3,242 meters have been installed for the agricultural sector.

Last month, Mohammad-Ali Validad, the deputy director of the Energy Ministry’s national smart metering program (known as FAHAM), announced that 56,000 agricultural wells had been equipped with smart electricity meters.

The program is aiming to monitor the electricity consumption across the country, especially among the large-scale subscribers.

In March 2009 implementation of FAHAM was placed on the agenda of Iranian government and Energy Ministry.

The target was decreasing electricity loss at least one percent per year and 14 percent decrease in overall network loss by 2015. 

FAHAM project is funded by Energy Ministry of Iran and is being executed under the supervision of Iran Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution Management Company (TAVANIR).

Iran is facing a rising demand for electricity and the Energy Ministry has been following new policies in recent years to manage the consumption and lessen the electricity losses in the national grid.

In December 2018, Mohammad Hassan Motevalizadeh, the managing director of TAVANIR, said Iran’s power industry needs six quadrillion rials (near $142.8 billion) to keep the country’s electricity infrastructure up with the rising demand.

Modifying consumption patterns and also electricity tariffs has been offered as practical solutions to reduce electricity consumption in the country.

EF/MA