Azerbaijan, Baku, Dec.16 /Trend, A.Yusifzade /
Electricity production has increased by 8.3 percent up to over 176,394 gigawatt-hours in Iran, since early 2010, the Iranian Energy Ministry reported. The New Year in Iran begins on March 21.
During this period, electricity generated at Iranian thermal power plants has reached 168,710 gigawatt-hours, and 7.684 million gigawatt-hours at hydropower plants.
Electricity consumption has increased by 8.73 percent up to 178,706 gigawatt-hours since early 2010.
Electricity exports amounted to 4,630 million gigawatt-hours since the beginning of the current Iranian calendar year (it started on March 21) in Iran or 5, 88 percent more than during the same period of last year.
Electricity imports during this period amounted to 2.372 million gigawatt-hours, or 45, 34 percent more than during the same period of last year.
At present, Iran is conducting import-export operations on electricity with such countries as Azerbaijan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Iraq, Pakistan and Afghanistan.
The capacity of Iranian hydropower plants is 7,700 megawatts. The country has 44 hydroelectric power stations, which include 109 energy units.