Electricity Supply in Iran Exceeds Government Capacity, Power Outages Affecting Households

Imbalance in electricity production and consumption has led to the inability of the government to supply electricity to various consumers, resulting in power cuts for industries increasing from one day a week to two days, and households experiencing more severe outages. Iranian media reported that yesterday, a record unprecedented demand of 77,151 megawatts for instantaneous electricity consumption was registered, breaking the peak load record for network stability. In this context, ILNA news agency quoted the Vice Chairman of the Industry Commission of the Iran Chamber of Commerce stating that the one-day power cut for industrial parks across the country has now extended to a second day. Abbas Jabalbarzi mentioned that the second day is unpredictable, and under these conditions, some producers who need diesel to keep their generators running are being accused of fuel smuggling. The Deputy of North Khorasan Electricity Company also noted that electricity consumption in the country has reached a crisis level. Ali Zahedinia considered overcoming this crisis to require public cooperation in reducing electricity consumption. The website Khabar Online also reported that power outages in some central areas of Tehran have reached four hours. This news agency emphasized that in previous years, the maximum power cut time at the beginning of the warm season was two hours, and this is the first time that citizens have experienced nearly four hours of power cuts. Reports indicate that the electricity supply situation in southern provinces is significantly more critical, leading to the closure of offices. In this regard, the Director General of Crisis Management in Lorestan Province announced a reduction in working hours for offices in this province due to the heat. Accordingly, working hours today, Wednesday, July 20, have been reduced to 11 AM, and tomorrow has been declared a holiday. According to media reports, power outages for industries have become a fundamental problem for them, leading to protests from industrial owners. Reports indicate that yesterday, electricity at the Saipa car manufacturing plant was cut for at least five hours, causing serious problems in the production process and leaving workers idle and uncertain for hours. According to published news, repeated power outages in Tehran's industrial hub, the Special Road, where many historical and old industries and factories are located, have created fundamental issues for industries. In this context, the newspaper Donya-e-Eqtesad also wrote in its issue today, Wednesday, July 20, that the electricity imbalance crisis has moved from the warning stage in the media to the stage of text messages to citizens. This newspaper emphasized that power cuts for industries cause serious damage to them, and each time industries are turned on and off takes about 24 hours, with each 24-hour power outage increasing losses. Donya-e-Eqtesad referred to the private sector's request to the government to move one day of outage from the week to Friday, stating that officials from the Ministry of Energy have informed industrial owners that 'solving this issue is not within the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Energy, and security agencies are in charge of controlling this sector.' Widespread power outages this summer were predictable, as late last June, the Deputy Minister of Industry, Mine, and Trade informed the Minister in a letter that electricity restrictions for industries would intensify this summer, and consequently, the activities of industries such as steel and cement would face significant disruptions, ultimately leading to reduced production and increased prices. ILNA news agency also published an image of a letter from Reza Mohtashami Pour, the Deputy Minister of Mining of the Ministry of Industry, Mine, and Trade, addressed to the Minister, stating: 'The nominal capacity of the country's electricity has reached 90,000 megawatt-hours, and while we have not yet approached the warm months of the year, the peak electricity consumption has reached 70,000 megawatts.' Reports indicate that this summer, the government has also been unable to provide the necessary electricity for the country, and large industries, the agricultural sector, and even household consumers will face electricity rationing. Experts consider the lack of planning and behavior outside the economic frameworks in developmental issues as the main cause of the energy imbalance, believing that with this style of governance, there can be no hope for improving conditions. The power cuts for 'industrial units' have increased to two days a week, leading to more unemployment among workers. The Ministry of Industry, Mine, and Trade announced the intensification of electricity restrictions for industries. Domestic gas supply is being compromised for industry; gas for steel industries has been reduced by up to 50%. Iran, possessing the world's largest energy reserves, is on the brink of facing an energy shortage problem.