According to the Energy Minstry, the country’s total installed power capacity now tops 80,000 megawatts, showing an 11.5-fold leap in comparison with the 7,000 MW-capacity in 1979.
The national power grid's length has also observed an 11.3% increase in the period. The country’s power transmission network, with a length of 923,452 kilometers, is now connecting towns and villages in remote areas to the national grid, while the network’s total length stood at 81,775 in 1979.
According to Energy Minister Reza Ardakanian, the 3.4 million subscribers in 1979 have so far increased to 35.7 million.
While only 4,367 villages were connected to the national power grid before the victory of the Islamic Revolution, the number has now reached 57,098, showing a 16.4-fold jump in forty years.
Leaving under years of harsh sanctions, the country has put all-out efforts to become self-sufficient in the strategically important sector. According to Energy Ministry, at least 65% of power plant equipment and 100% of power networks and substations are supplied by domestic manufacturers.
Compared to the 2-fold increase of the population over the 40-year period, the two-digit growth in power capacity and infrastructure has helped Iran turn into a major electricity hub, active in power exports and swap with the neighboring states.
MNA/IRN83196394