Baku, Azerbaijan, Oct. 25
By Fatih Karimov - Trend:
Iran's judiciary and environment bodies have banned using liquid fuel at the country's power plants.
Iran's Deputy Minister of Energy Houshang Falahatian said although the use of liquid fuel has been banned, due to the priority of supplying households with gas during winter, sufficient feedstock for power plants should be secured, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported Oct. 25.
Fortunately, the trend of gas supply to power plants is favorable and there is no concern in this regard, he added.
"The use of gas in power plants is justified both in cost and environment protection criteria. However, diesel and fuel oil are used some days in cold season instead of natural gas," said Falahatian.
Gas supply to power plants has significantly cut liquid fuel consumption in Iran in the first half of the current Iranian fiscal year (March 21-September 22).
Managing director of Iranian Oil Products Distribution Company Nasser Sajjadi said except for gasoline, consumption of other oil products such as diesel, fuel oil, kerosene, and liquefied petroleum gas has decreased in the first half of the current year.
During 220 days of Iran's fiscal year, which started on March 21, the country increased gas supply to power plants by 12.8 percent to about 35.124 billion cubic meters (bcm) and decreased fuel oil and gasoline consumption by 27.7 percent to 3.316 billion liters and 45.6 percent to 2.119 billion liters respectively, according to Iran's Energy Ministry's latest weekly report.
Iran is to increase natural gas delivery to power plants to 57 bcm in current year, 7 bcm more than last year.