Page 59 - IRANRptSep21

Iran’s renewable power plants ‘reach 860 MW in capacity’
the end of this year and the other part will be constructed in early next year.” According to Satakin, with 30,000 MWe potential of wind power capacity, the Iran-Afghanistan border area is one of the world’s most windy regions. “About 25,000 MWe of the capacity is in the Afghanistan territory, while the other 5,000 MWe is on the Iranian side,” he explained.
In November 2020, Satakin had said that over 30 MWe would be added to Iran’s wind power capacity, 60% of which would be supplied by the wind farm on the Iran-Afghanistan border. Iran and Afghanistan started considering joint co-operation in renewable projects in August 2019.
The capacity of Iran’s renewable power plants reached 859.17 megawatts (MW) in the 10th Iranian calendar month (December 21, 2020-January 19, 2021), official news agency IRNA has reported.
Iranian renewable power plants reportedly managed to produce 5.738bn kilowatt-hours (Kwh) of electricity in the Persian month, 50% (426.17 MW) of which was attributed to solar power plants. Wind power plants accounted for 35% (303.18 MW), followed by hydropower plants at 12% (105.65 MW).
In December, Mohammad Satakin, who heads Iran's Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization (SATBA), said the capacity of the country’s renewable power plants was set to reach 1,000 MW (one gigawatt) by the end of the current government’s incumbency in August.
Within the next five years, Iran intends to secure 5,000 MW more in renewable capacity to meet growing domestic demand and expand the Iranian presence on the regional electricity market.
9.1.13 Utilities sector news
Decision by Pakistan to negotiate with Iran for Gwadar power supplies made on eve of eruption of anti-Chinese protests in port city
Pakistan has reportedly decided to enter into negotiations with Iran to import from 70 to 100 MW of electricity to power Gwadar port city, where protests erupted last week against severe water and electricity shortages and claimed threats to livelihoods as part of a growing backlash by Pakistanis against projects under China’s multi-billion-dollar Belt and Road trade, investment and infrastructure programme.
The decision to start talks for Iranian electricity was reported by Pakistani media outlet The News on August 13, prior to the unrest. A 300 MW power plant under construction in Gwadar, on the Arabian Sea, is said to have been delayed for various reasons, making Iranian power the only option for the time being. That, however, in itself presents more difficulties as Iran, struggling to produce enough hydroelectricity amid drought, has in the past couple of years suspended electricity deliveries to Balochistan, the province where Gwadar and its deep sea port are located.
The protests in Gwadar, saw demonstrators including fishers and other local workers block roads in the coastal city in Balochistan—Pakistan’s most under-developed province—while burning tyres, chanting slogans and largely shutting down the city, to demand water and electricity and a stop to Chinese trawlers illegally fishing in the nearby waters and then taking the fish to China, the Guardian reported on August 20. The UK daily also reported that a suicide bomber killed two children and injured a Chinese engineer in an attack on Chinese nationals driving along the main expressway to the port, according to a senior Pakistani official.
Responsibility for the attack was claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), which like other militant groups in the region accuses China of exploiting Balochistan’s mineral resources. It has previously attacked Chinese nationals and the Chinese consulate in Karachi.
59 IRAN Country Report September 2021 www.intellinews.com