Iranian private sector allowed exporting electricity

TEHRAN,Nov.26(MNA) -- The Iranian Energy Ministry has allowed four power generation companies of the private sector to export 25 percent of their generated electricity, the Fars News Agency quoted Deputy Energy Minister Mohammad Behzad as saying. Behzad said that a memorandum of understanding has been inked between the Energy Ministry and the four companies, based on which the companies are allowed to export 25 percent of their generate electricity at a specified rate higher than government rate. On November 12, Energy Minister Majid Namjou said Iran’s exports of electricity-related technical and engineering services will reach $6 billion by the end of the current Iranian year (ending March 20, 2013). The Islamic republic has exported some $4 billion worth of technical and engineering services since the beginning of the current Iranian year, Namjou said. Namjou further added that the country is currently constructing 44 new power plants with the capacity to generate 34,000 megawatts of electricity. Iran is currently exchanging electricity with Afghanistan, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Iraq, Pakistan, Turkey and Turkmenistan and plans to add 5,000 megawatts of capacity annually to its power grid. The country ranks the first in the Middle East in terms of electricity generation and is the 15th largest electricity producer in the world.