Iran’s Minister of Energy, Habiollah Bitaraf, has said that eight hydroelectric power plants of a total capacity of 8000MW are currently under construction in various parts of Iran. He added that the plants will all start generating electricity by 2006.
In order to meet the forecast 8% annual increase in Iran’s electricity consumption, newly-installed generating capacity of 1600-2000MW is required each year, Bitaraf says.
Seven new reservoir dams are also set to become operational by the end of the current Iranian year (20 March 1999).