Page 67 - IRANRptJun22

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.
9.1.14 Utilities sector news
Iran tightens gas taps on Iraq in response to unpaid bills
Iran, Turkmenistan agree on better management of water shared from Doosti Dam
Iran plans to swap electricity with Russia
Iran's supplies of gas to neighbour Iraq have been scaled down by 5mn cubic metres (m3) per day, limiting the operation of power plants and constraining electricity supplies to Iraqi consumers, according to Iraqi media reports.
Iraqi authorities confirmed on June 1 that Baghdad has not paid Tehran a $1.6bn debt owed for gas imports, Haqqin reported.
Debt repayment will be a key requirement in terms of keeping Iraqi power plants, and thus air coolers, running during the sweltering heat of the upcoming summer months. That was the scenario that played out last summer, when, after Iran squeezed gas supplies in response to debt non-payment, the sight of Iraqis cooling down in vehicles, engines running to keep the air conditioning on, became commonplace during the hottest weeks. Iraqis accused Iran of being quick to use the debt payment delays as an excuse to cut gas exports to Iraq, noting that Tehran was struggling to provide enough gas to Iran's grid to meet domestic needs.
“Iran demanded that Iraq pay its financial obligations to pay for gas. However, due to a delay in the adoption of the budget, as well as the blocking by parliament of a bill aimed at guaranteeing debt payments, there have been delays in payment,” the Iraqi Ministry of Electricity said in a statement. Despite its vast oil and gas reserves, Iraq remains dependent on imports to meet its energy needs.
Iran currently meets a third of Iraq's gas and electricity needs.
The Iranian gas supply stranglehold over Iraq may play into the hands of Baghdad’s southern neighbour and arch-rival of Iran, Saudi Arabia. It may see an opportunity to weaken Iran’s powerful influence over its neighbour by accelerating and expediting plans to export electricity to the Iraqis.
Iran and Turkmenistan have agreed on better management of water shared from Doosti Dam (also known as Friendship Dam), according to the managing director of Iran’s Mashhad Water and Wastewater Company, as reported by official Iranian news agency IRNA.
“As per the agreement, the dam water won’t be used in agriculture and will only be used for drinking purposes,” Hossein Esmaeilian was quoted as saying by IRNA.
“At present, about 20% of Mashhad's drinking water resources are supplied from the Doosti Dam, located 170 kilometres from the city,” he added.
Amid persistent drought conditions in recent years, there are an increasing number of water resource disputes between countries of the Middle East and Central Asia. Iran, for instance, has ongoing water disputes with Turkey, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Iran’s Energy Minister Ali-Akbar Mehrabian said on March 12 that the country will connect the national electricity grid with Russia, the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Mines announced.
Iran has vaguely backed Russia in its war against Ukraine despite Moscow offering only regional integration and trade via the Eurasian Economic Union
67 IRAN Country Report June 2022 www.intellinews.com