Page 57 - IRANRptFeb22

Iran to launch first geothermal energy plant
remains under the scrutiny of the UN’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) with the major powers concerned that the Iranians keep it entirely civilian, something Tehran insists it is committed to ensuring.
Energy Minister Ali-Akbar Mehrabian said in November that his ministry was pursuing an electricity provisioning programme to add 30,000 MW to Iran’s generating capacity by the end of the current government's term, which will come in August 2025. Some 21 power plant units would be brought into operation nationwide during the upcoming Persian year, he told parliament.
Iran's first geothermal power plant, equipped to generate 5 MW of power, is set to be commissioned by June, a Thermal Power Plant Holding (TPPH) spokesman told local press on January 12.
The country has to date invested relatively little in renewables in part due to the low cost of oil, gas and coal on the domestic market. Some clear progress in renewables was made prior to the reintroduction of heavy US sanctions in 2018. Several solar plants went live prior to that economic setback. The development of Iran's nuclear power industry, meanwhile, has been hampered due to fears that the Islamic Republic is secretly working on producing a nuclear weapon, something Tehran has always refuted.
According to TPPH project manager Hamidreza Azimi, the $40.4mn geothermal project is almost complete, with the only incomplete part related to washing the steam wells of the power plant, for which a corresponding contract has been signed.
The plant is located in Meshginshahr district in the northwestern province of Ardabil near the border with Azerbaijan. It has been constructed at the foot of Mount Sabalan, a semi-active volcano.
There are plans to in future achieve a 50 MW capacity at the installation.
9.1.13 Utilities sector news
Dress warmly urge officials in Iran as country seeks to avoid winter gas shortages
Energy officials have resorted to urging Iran’s population to dress warmly to lower the need for winter gas heating with the country seeking to maintain gas flows.
They have also sounded warnings that some industries, such as petrochemicals and steel-making, look set to suffer gas cuts made to ensure the household sector does not want for gas needed for heating. More than 90% of the country has gas central heating.
Oil minister Javad Owji on January 23 said the country's natural gas consumption was at a record high.
"Over the past 24 hours, a historic record at 692 million cubic [metres] per day of gas consumption was registered in household, commercial and smaller industries," Owji said on Twitter. "The gas network is stable. But continuation of this status requires cooperation of fellow citizens and management of consumption."
The National Iranian Gas Company (NIGC) has cautioned that cold weather anticipated for the coming days would push up consumption further by a few million m3/day.
Iran, a country of 84mn, has 28mn gas subscribers, with northern parts of the country the least integrated when it comes to the Iranian gas supply network. However, the ever-expanding network, including when it comes to northern localities, means Iran’s gas consumption is ever-increasing.
Iran's gas production stands at 800mn m3/day. After Russia, Iran has the world’s second largest gas reserves.
The country’s gas flows to neighbour Turkey have been disrupted since last
57 IRAN Country Report February 2022 www.intellinews.com