Azerbaijan, Baku, Oct. 27 / Trend A. Yusifzade /
A priority taks for the Iranian Energy Ministry is to synchronize the electricity networks of Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia with capacity of 700 megawatts for further connection to the electricity system of Europe, Iranian Minister of Energy, Majid Namdz, was quoted by IRNA agency as saying.
The implementation of this project will allow to exchange electricity between Azerbaijan, Russia and Iran, as well as to connect the rest countries of the region to this project. The work is underway to increase power cross-flow of electricity between Azerbaijan and Iran up to 700 megawatts from 250 megawatts.
The synchronization of electrical power systems of Iran, Azerbaijan and Russia is being discussed for several years. Earlier, Russia and Iran held talks about the type of cooperation. One side insisted on mutual electricity sales, the other - on the exchange. This question has not been resolved yet.
About 143,790 gigawatt-hours of electricity were generated by Iran during the first half of the year (a year begins on March 21 in Iran) compared to 133.593 gigawatt hours for the same period last year.
About 137,200 gigawatt hours of electricity were generated by thermal power plants, 6.769 gigawatt hours by hydroelectric power stations.
At present, Iran imports and exports electricity to the countries such as Turkey, Turkmenistan, Iraq, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan
The capacity of Iranian hydroelectric power plants is about 7,700 megawatts. There are 44 hydroelectric power stations, which include 109 energy units, all over the country.