Iran reports record highs in exports of electricity
Iran’s minister of energy says power exports to neighbors have hit a new record as annual generation growth reaches an all-time high.
Mohammad Ardakanian said on Saturday that Iran had exported a total of 2.3 billion kilowatt hour of electricity to neighboring countries in the period between May 22 and August 11, adding that the volume of exports in the nearly-three-month period was the highest recorded in recent years.
Ardakanian said the jump in power exports came despite a relative recession recorded for the sector since the start of the current Iranian calendar year in March.
The minister said rising exports also came after Iran increased electricity generation by 3,250 megawatts last year, the highest annual growth recorded ever, mainly thanks to the construction and launch of 15 new power plants across the country.
He did not elaborate on the income earned from exports, a bulk of which is currently delivered to Iraq, an energy-thirsty country enjoying waivers from sanctions imposed by the US on Iran’s energy exports. Turkey, Pakistan and Afghanistan are other customers of Iran's electricity.
Ardakanian also said that refurbishing current power plants earned Iran some 570 megawatts of more electricity while schemes were implemented to reduce consumption by 3,874 megawatts this summer in households and government departments.
His announcement on increased electricity exports came just a day after Iranian officials said they had finalized an agreement with neighboring Afghanistan to both develop the power grid in the country and to continue exports.
The agreement will also enable Afghanistan to transit its own power to other countries via Iran while Iranian companies will help the country develop its renewable power sector, especially on plan to harness electricity from wind in areas across the border with Iran.
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