TEHRAN - In the beginning of the final week of the Iranian year 1403 (Saturday March 15), the country’s peak electricity demand reached 46,680 megawatts—a five percent increase compared to the same period last year, when the peak was 44,468 megawatts.

As IRIB reported, this surge in demand highlights the ongoing upward trend in national energy consumption.

Based on this peak figure, the total electricity consumption on the mentioned day amounted to 1,006,847 megawatt-hours, reflecting a 6.54 percent growth over the corresponding day in the previous year. Moreover, since the beginning of the current year, overall electricity energy consumption has increased by 4.95 percent.

The weighted average temperature across the country on the said day was recorded at 13.39 degrees Celsius, which is 2.38 degrees higher than on the same day last year. This noticeable rise in temperature may have contributed to the increased electricity usage, as warmer weather typically drives higher energy consumption for cooling and related activities.

In recent months, Iran has faced significant electricity shortages, leading to power outages in several cities. Rising demand, coupled with insufficient investment in power generation infrastructure, has strained the national grid. Officials have attributed the supply-demand gap to higher-than-expected industrial and household consumption, along with reduced hydropower output due to lower rainfall levels.

The country has also struggled with issues related to aging power plants and insufficient natural gas supply for electricity generation, especially during peak winter and summer seasons. In some regions, authorities have resorted to scheduled blackouts to manage grid stability, affecting businesses and residential areas.

To address these challenges, the government has announced plans to expand renewable energy capacity and improve grid efficiency. However, experts argue that without substantial investment and modernization efforts, Iran’s electricity sector may continue to face supply disruptions in the coming years.

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