Azerbaijan, Baku, Aug.25/ Trend F.Milad/
Electricity consumption in Iran rose by 5 percent in the period from March 20 compared to the same period of last year, deputy energy minister Mohammad Behzad stated.
Mohammad Behzad did not call any specific figure related to the total consumption, but emphasized that the Subsidy Reform Plan has curbed the rising trend of electricity consumption in the country, the ISNA News Agency reported.
Electricity consumption in Iran reached the peak of 38 gigawatts (GW) last Friday, showing some 1.4GW growth compared to the same day of last year, the IRIB reported.
Electricity storage at national power plants stood at 1.7GW and the potential output reached 54.2GW, showing 1.255GW rise compared to the same day of last year.
The Energy Ministry will determine power projects that will increase Iran's electricity generation capacity by 5 gigawatts (GW) this calendar year, which began on March 20, Behzad said on April 3.
He added that over 10 GW should be added to the generation capacity of hydroelectric and thermal power plants by August 2013, the last month of President Ahmadinejad's administration, the Fars news agency reported.
By the end of the Fifth Five-Year Economic Development Plan (2015), Iran will boost its electricity generation capacity by 25GW to reach 73GW, Energy Minister Majid Namjou said on February 7.
Iran currently trades power with Turkey, Armenia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iraq.
Iran is the top electricity producer in the Middle East, official at Iran Power Development Company said on July 9.
Mahmoud Dashtbozorg told the IRNA News Agency that the country is the 15th largest electricity producer in the world.