List of power stations in Iran

Electric power industry in Iran has become self-sufficient in producing the required equipment to build power plants.^[13] While most of the electricity generators are run by the government, the equipment producers and contractors are generally from the private sector.^[12] Iran is among the top ten manufacturers of gas turbines with a capacity up to 160 megawatts.^[14] Iran engineers at JEMCO (a subsidiary of IDRO) have succeeded to develop and produce one and four-megawatt generators.^{[citation needed]} Iran can manufacture materials for over 80 percent of hydraulic turbines and over 90 percent of gas turbines. In the near future, Iran can become a major player in building power plant with advanced technology (2009).^[15] Iran plans to build its first indigenous gas turbines by 2015.^{[citation needed]} Iran has achieved the technical expertise to set up hydroelectric, gas and combined cycle power plants.^[16] Iran is one of the four countries in the world which can manufacture advanced V94.2 gas turbines.^[17] The Industrial Development and Renovation Organization of Iran (IDRO) is currently building the country's first 4-megawatt (MW) Combined Heat and Power (CHP) turbo generator in cooperation with the private sector.^{[citation needed]}

Nuclear power plants

Darkhovin Nuclear Power Plant is Iran's first indigenously designed and built power plant besides the research reactor of IR-40.^[18][19][20]Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant is Iran's first nuclear power plant and it has been manufactured with the technical assistance of Russia.

International projects

Iran is not only self-sufficient in power plant construction but has also concluded a number of contracts on implementing projects in neighboring states.^[21][22] As of 2010, Iranian energy and resource development firms are involved in 50 projects worth over USD 2.2 billion in more than 20 countries across the world.^[23] As at 2011, MAPNA was building power plants in Syria, Oman and Iraq and negotiations were underway to build two power plants in Lebanon.^{[citation needed]}

One of Iran’s most important international projects will see the construction of a $200-million hydroelectric dam in Nicaragua starting 2011. Iran is currently engaged in dam construction in Tajikistan, Armenia and Azerbaijan, and consultations are underway with a number of other countries. Kenya, Sri Lanka, Bolivia and Mali are the potential target markets being considered for exporting the country’s technical and engineering services.^[24] In 2010, Iran won a contract to build a dam in Afghanistan and the third contract to build a power plant station in Syria.^[25]In December 2005 a wind farm was put in operation at Pushkin Pass in Armenia. Total installed capacity of the farm is 2.64 MW, comprise from the four 660 kW wind turbines. Wind farm was built by support of 3.1 mln US$ grant from the government of Islamic Republic of Iran.^[26] The Armenian and Iranian energy sectors are currently jointly constructing the Iran-Armenia Wind Farm which is set to become the country's largest wind farm, having an installed electric capacity of 90 MW.^[27] As at 2012, Iran is building seven large power plants in Syria, Oman, Iraq, and Tajikistan.^[28]

Foreign direct investment

According to the Ministry of Energy, Germany has invested $445 million in construction of the Pareh-Sar combined cycle power plant in northern Iran, while the UAE has invested $720 million in construction of a gas power plant as well as a combined cycle power plant in Isfahan and Shiraz.^{[citation needed]} In 2015, Iran and Russia signed an agreement regarding the construction of eight thermal power plants in Iran, with a total installed capacity of 2,800 Megawatts (MW). The investment per MW will be $3.57 million ($10 billion in total).^[29]

Mapna Company. Sahand, Bistoun, Shazand, Shahid Montazeri, Tous, Shahid Rajaei and Neishabour power stations are among the profit-making plants, work on privatizing them will be finalized by late March 2007.^[31] Jahrom, Khalij-e Fars (Persian Gulf) and Sahand power plants will be ceded to the private sector in 2009.^[32][33] All domestic power plants will be privatized gradually, except those the government feels it should run to ensure security of the national electricity grid. Power plants of Damavand, Mashhad, Shirvan, Kerman, Khalij-e Fars, Abadan, Bisotoon, Sanandaj, Manjil and Binalood, which have been turned into public limited firms, are ready for privatization.^[34] As of 2010, 20 power plants were ready for privatization in Iran.^[35] Upon ceding the 20 power plants to IPO, some 40 percent of the capacity of power plants nationwide will be assigned to the private and cooperative sectors.^[36] As of 2011, about 45 power plants across the country were to be handed over to the private sector.^[37] In 2012, it was announced that Iran's government which has already turned over 17 of its 45 power plants to the private sector since 2008, will transfer 28 more plants with an estimated value of $11.4 billion (USD), by March 2013.^[38]

The new energy/electricity bourse will be inaugurated in 2012.^[39] This will bring about more competition and transparency in Iran’s electricity market.^[40] Experts believe that following the launch of the subsidies reform plan, the electricity industry will undergo significant changes and will become more appealing to private investors.^[41] Iran is the 16th electricity producer in the world.^{[citation needed]}

As at 2012, Iran had over 400 power plant units and 38 electricity distribution companies which buy the electricity from producers.^{[citation needed]} Iran has over 100 companies which consume more than 20 MW of electricity per year.^{[citation needed]} The average price of each kilowatt of electricity is 450 rials (around 5 cents) during the first phase of the Subsidy Reform Law. The average final price of each kilowatt of electricity will be 1000 rials (around 10 cents) in 2015.^[42] According to the government of Iran, power stations have to pay the export price of gas if they want to export electricity and must improve efficiency.^[43]

Iran's electricity export and related technical and engineering services exports was valued at $4 billion in 2011.^[44] In 2010, the total of Iran’s electricity exports to Afghanistan, Iraq (650 MW), Azerbaijan, Armenia, Pakistan and Turkey reached 878 megawatts and the total of imports from Armenia (237 MW) and Turkmenistan was recorded at 463 megawatts.^[42] Jordan, India, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Syria, and the UAE are the new countries that have expressed interest in buying electricity from Iran.^[42]

In service

Proposed or under construction

In service

Under construction

In service

With about 300 clear sunny days a year and an average of 2,200 kilowatt-hour solar radiation per square meter, Iran has a great potential to tap solar energy.^[112]

Under construction

In addition to the above power plants, there was 1800 MW cumulative installed capacity in 2011, which belonged to small scale decentralized power plants, some of which were not connected to the national grid, and many being privately built and run. This capacity is planned for increase to more than 10,000 MW with emphasis on renewable energy and trigeneration. Similarly there was 418 MW of capacity belonging to diesel generator based plants supplying hard to reach areas.^{[118][119][120][121][122]}

• International rankings of Iran
• Iranian Economic Reform Plan
• Energy in Iran

Media related to Power plants in Iran at Wikimedia Commons

• Iran Water & Power Development Company
• List of dams in Iran Archived 2011-08-03 at the Wayback Machine
• Tavanir - Iran's Electric Power Generation Organization
• Energy Exchange of Iran

Specialized reports

• Iran Power Market Outlook to 2030, 55-page report, 2012
• Iran power, 57-page report, 2010
• Thermal Power Market Outlook in Iran to 2020, 78-page report, 2010

Videos

• Bushehr I and II Nuclear Power Plant, Iran