News / Energy

Iranian president opens 4 key energy projects near Tehran

Thursday, 16 April 2020 1:21 PM [ Last Update: Thursday, 16 April 2020 1:21 PM ]

This April 16, 2020 photo shows Iranian President Hassan Rouhani watching via video conference the opening for four major energy projects in the province of Tehran.

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has opened four major energy projects in the province surrounding the capital Tehran as his government launches an ambitious plan to finish over $3 billion worth of similar projects until the end of the current calendar year in March 2021.

Speaking via video conference on Thursday, Rouhani ordered the opening of one power plant and three sewage treatment facilities in four cities near the capital.

The official IRNA news agency said the projects had costed around 28 trillion rials ($175 million), adding that construction for them had been financed by both the government and the private sector.

While opening a new steam unit in Parand Power Plant, located to the southwest of Tehran, Rouhani said Iran could benefit from turning its gas-fired power plants to the so-called combined-cycle systems where the steam is raised through using the exhaust heat from the combustion turbines.

He said the government would compensate any private sector investor launching a combined cycle power plant through supplying free natural gas in the early years of operation.

“To save fuel and protect the environment, it is always recommended that power plant units are turned into combined-cycle (systems) wherever it is possible,” Rouhani said.

Iran launching major electricity, water projects despite coronavirus outbreak

The government plans to launch more than 5,000 projects in the current Iranian calendar year.

Construction for the third steam unit in Parand began in 2015. The project will add some 160 megawatts per hour to the current electricity production capacity in the province of Tehran. Nearly $150 million has been spent on the project which will create 220 permanent jobs and 1,500 more on the wider supply chain.

Also on Thursday, Rouhani ordered the opening of three major sewage treatment facilities in Eslamshahr, Malard and Safadasht, cities located to the west and south of Tehran.

He said his government will finish 500 trillion rials ($3.125 billion) worth of similar energy projects until March 2021 when the current Persian calendar year comes to its end.

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