Mostafa Rajabi Mashhadi, Deputy for Electricity and Energy at the Ministry of Energy, during a visit to the Shiraz Power Distribution Company, attributed a 30 percent reduction in electricity imbalance to the development of new power plants, increased capacity of solar power plants, and consumption management. He emphasized that these measures have contributed to sustainable energy supply.
Increase in Power Supply for Industries
Rajabi Mashhadi also referred to the status of power supply for industries this year, stating that despite existing limitations, more capacity has been provided for the industrial sector. Specifically, the amount of energy delivered to energy-intensive industries such as steel and cement has increased by 14 percent compared to last year. This increase in power supply has also been evident for petrochemical industries, aiding in the continuity of production and operation of industrial units.
Read more: Iran is facing energy imbalance and infrastructure challenges
New Mechanisms for Power Supply
The Deputy for Electricity and Energy at the Ministry of Energy announced the establishment of new mechanisms for supplying power to large industries through imports. By removing some structural barriers and enabling electricity transit from the national grid, large industries can directly import electricity from neighboring countries using their foreign currency resources. Rajabi Mashhadi added that approximately 4,700 megawatts of capacity from power plants owned by industries and petrochemicals have been out of operation for various reasons, and it is expected that by the end of the year, at least half of this capacity will return to operation.
He also discussed regional cooperation in the electricity sector, stating that the private sector can utilize the capacity for importing electricity from neighboring countries, and coordination has been made to secure electricity from northern countries of Iran. Contracts have been signed with Turkmenistan and Armenia for power supply.
Measures to Combat Illegal Cryptocurrency Mining
Rajabi Mashhadi, highlighting the necessity of seriously combating illegal cryptocurrency mining, warned offenders in this area, stating that in addition to financial penalties, criminal punishments including imprisonment will be considered. In the event of discovering illegal mining, the operating license of the violating unit will be revoked, and the electricity consumed by that unit will be calculated at a non-subsidized rate for one year. He also mentioned that the unauthorized use of cryptocurrency mining devices in residential areas could damage the electricity network.
Rajabi Mashhadi concluded by emphasizing the importance of developing new electricity production capacities, stating that planning for increasing the capacity of solar power plants and constructing new power plants by industries and the Ministry of Energy is on the agenda.
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