Iran confirms plans to boost electricity exports

PanARMENIAN.Net - Iran plans to increase its electricity exports to the neighboring and regional states, including Syria and Lebanon, Iranian Minister of Energy Majid Namjou announced.

According to Farns News Agency, speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a meeting with his Syrian counterpart Imad Mohammad Deeb Khamis, Namjou said Iran will export electricity to Syria and Lebanon through Iraq's power grid.

He said Iran is capable of exporting 1,000 megawatts (MW) of power to Iraq.

He added that Syria has also demanded 500 MW of electricity from Iran.

"Iran is also able to export 50-100 MW of electricity to Lebanon through Syria," Namjou said.

Earlier this month, Iran's Energy Ministry announced that the country has exported 7,349 gw/h of electricity to other countries in the first 11 months of the current Iranian year (March 21, 2011 to February 19, 2012) which shows a 27% increase compared with the same period last year.

Iran exported 7,349 gw/h of electricity during the said period this year, up from 5,769 gw/h last year.

With the implementation of subsidy reforms law, not only domestic electricity consumption has reduced but also annual growth in electricity demand has been checked, thus paving the way for further export of electricity to the neighboring countries.

Iran has power swap deals with Armenia, Pakistan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Afghanistan and the autonomous region of Nakhichevan.