Iran rolled out $3.25bn worth of water, power projects in year to March

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani has hailed his administration’s records in launching new water and electricity projects in the fiscal year to late March despite economic woes posed by the pandemic and the US sanctions.

Rouhani said on Tuesday that his government had rolled out a total of 307 water, wastewater and electricity projects in calendar year to March 20 with an investment of 812.2 trillion rials (over $3.25 billion).

The Iranian president cited figures released by the Iranian Energy Ministry as he virtually opened water and power projects in four provinces in northern Iran.

Iran’s Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian also said on Tuesday that projects opened this calendar year included nine thermal power plants, 25 renewable electricity stations, 14 dams and an electrification campaign that covered nearly 2,000 villages.

The government has provided nearly a third of the finances, or more than $1 billion, needed to finish the projects and the rest has come from private owners, said Aradakanian.

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The projects launched on Tuesday by Rouhani included major wastewater treatment facilities in the provinces of Tehran and Gilan, a dam in the province of Qazvin and a power plant in the province of Mazandaran.

The projects had cost 141.8 trillion rials ($568.5 million), said a report on Rouhani’s website.

Iran’s massive investment in water and electricity projects comes as the country struggles to respond to a growing demand for energy in the country’s household and manufacturing sectors.

The country has currently one of the highest penetration rates in the world for drinking water and electricity as many villages and small towns across Iran have been provided with access to sustainable supplies of energy.

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