TEHRAN - Iranian Minister of Energy Ali Akbar Mehrabian has emphasized that Iran has the potentials to exchange power with Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan Republic, Armenia, Turkey, and Iraq through synchronizing electricity network connections.
Mehrabian said that the connecting electricity networks with neighboring states in accordance with international standards to expand power export is one of his ministry’s agenda during his tenure.
As part of the ministry’s electricity diplomacy, Iran is going to synchronize its power network in order to pave the way for linking the Iranian network to Russian and the Persian Gulf littoral states’ power networks, he said.
According to the ministry’s official website, Mehrabian made the remarks in a gathering at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, noting that the issue of exporting electricity and electrical equipment is one of capabilities of the Islamic Republic and that Iran has had good progress in this respect.
He argued that the electricity export and exchange can bring about remarkable economic wealth for Iran, help manage power usage peaks through exchanges, and make countries permanently dependent on power supply.
The Islamic Republic is among a few states in the world manufacturing F-class turbines, the minister said, adding that Iran is capable of producing different types of turbines, generators, and other electricity equipment.
Iranians have got valuable experiences in conducting power generation projects such as dam-building and hydro-power plants, he noted.
Almost 100 percent of Iranian residents in urban areas enjoy electricity and water networks, he said, adding that 99.5 percent of Iranians living in rural areas have access to electricity, which is a high rate of power access throughout the world.
The Ministry of Energy has planned for adding 6,000 megawatts to the power generation network of the country slated for next summer, Mehrabian said, noting that the project will be completed by the end of spring.