New thermal unit pushes Iran’s generation over 60 000 MW

• 13 years ago (2011-02-06)
• Junior Isles

Europe 1068 Middle East 317

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Iran’s electricity generation capacity has increased to 60 000 MW after the inauguration of a new gas unit in Semnan’s combined cycle power plant in northern Iran.

“The second gas unit of Semnan power plant with an output of 162 MW of electricity was connected to Iran’s national electricity grid on Saturday,” Iranian Students News Agency reported.

The steam unit of the plant, with an additional capacity of 160 MW, will go on stream in the near future, the report added.

So far, over $160 million has been invested in constructing the two gas units for the power plant, which generates 484 MW in total.

Iran’s Energy Ministry also announced that the country’s power exports topped 4918 MW between March 21 and December 28 of last year, a promising 6 per cent rise compared with the same period in 2009.

Iran had a total annual electricity generation capacity of 53 000 MW before 2009, and plans to add 5000 MW to the grid annually.

Iran currently has electricity exchange agreements with Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Pakistan, the Republic of Nakhjavan, Turkey and Turkmenistan.

In December, the Iranian Energy Ministry announced that the country’s electricity exports to neighbouring states climbed by more than 6 per cent while its imports soared up by over 40 per cent.