TEHRAN - The annual overhaul program of Iran’s power plants has begun for 40 units of power plants with a total capacity of 7,000 megawatts across Iran, Managing Director of Iran Grid Management Company Mostafa Rajabi Mashhadi announced.

“Major overhaul and inspection of 40 power plant units have begun to prepare them for electricity supply in the summer of 1401 (next Iranian calendar year beginning in late March 2022),” IRNA quoted Rajabi Mashhadi as saying on Monday.

In order to ensure the proper operation of power plants in the peak consumption period, the annual overhaul program starts every year in early September and will continue until late May in the next year, the official said.

Summer months constitute Iran’s peak demand periods, so most of the power plant overhaul programs are scheduled to take place during the autumn, winter, and spring seasons.

Every year, during the overhaul program thousands of personnel constantly work to complete the annual repair program of the country's power plants on time and ensure the stable supply of electricity to customers during peak days.

Last year, the annual overhaul program was conducted for 100,000 megawatts capacity of the country’s power plants.

The capacity of power plant units that went through the overhaul program last year increased by 11 percent compared to the preceding year.

Currently, the knowledge for producing 80 percent of the equipment and spare parts of the power plants has been localized by Iranian experts in cooperation with knowledge-based companies and research centers.

Iran’s total power generation capacity currently stands at about 85,000 MW, more than 90 percent of which is supplied by thermal power plants.

Currently, a total of 478 thermal power plants are operating throughout Iran which includes both gas power plants and combined cycle plants.

EF/MA