Tehran, Iran, Jan. 17
By Milad Fashtami - Trend:
An Iranian firm has won the bid to carry out a $40 million power project in neighboring Iraq.
Head of board of directors of Iran's Power Industry Syndicate, Alireza Kolahi said that the Iranian company will lay 132 kilovolt power cables in Iraq, Iran's Fars News Agency reported on Jan. 17.
"We currently have 600 kilometers of 132 kilovolt power cables in Iran, and now we plan to lay 300 kilometers of the same cables in Iraq," he explained.
"Companies from several countries including Iraq, Malaysia, Turkey, South Korea, Italy, Germany, The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Switzerland had participated in the bid," he noted.
Mohammad Ja'fari, an official with the Energy Ministry, said in December that Iran has the capacity to export $20 billion worth of electricity and power plant equipment to foreign countries.
"Iran has expertise in constructing power plants and can export more technical and engineering services," he said.
Iran seeks to become a major regional exporter of electricity and has attracted more than $1.1 billion in investments for the construction of three new power plants.
The country currently trades power with Turkey, Armenia, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq.
Deputy Energy Minister Sattar Mahmoudi said in November 2013 that Iran annually exports 8 billion kilowatt hours of electricity to neighboring countries.
"The mentioned figure is about 3 percent of the country's total output," he said.
Iran's production capacity has surpassed 71,000 megawatt hours.
"Iran has electricity ties with all the neighboring countries," he said, adding that Tehran eyes to export electricity to Europe via Armenia, Russia, and Azerbaijan.