BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 10. Iran has
recorded a significant increase in the electricity generation
potential of its solar power plants during the current government’s
term, which began in August 2024, said Mazyar Abdi, advisor to the
head of the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Organization
(SATBA), Trend
reports.
Speaking at a conference in Zanjan Province focused on
investment models for solar power plant construction, Abdi noted
that since the government took office, the generation capacity of
Iran’s solar power plants has grown from 1,230 megawatts (MW) to
2,720 MW.
He added that this reflects the Energy Ministry’s efforts to
achieve sustainable development goals and reduce dependence on
fossil fuels.
The official also highlighted that the country’s total
electricity generation potential reaches 96,000 MW. Last year,
electricity shortages reached 20,000 MW at certain times, affecting
residential areas.
Abdi explained that the cost of producing one kilowatt-hour of
electricity is 100,000 rials (about $0.17), while retail prices in
some sectors range from 1,000 to 4,000 rials (about
$0.0017–$0.006), illustrating inefficiencies and heavy subsidies in
the energy sector that require reform.
The advisor further stated that by the end of the current
Iranian year (March 20, 2026), the production capacity of renewable
energy power plants is expected to rise to 7,000 MW.
To note, Iran initiated utility-scale solar power generation
with the opening of its inaugural solar power facility in Shiraz in
2008. The facility possessed an initial capacity of 250 kW and
employed concentrating solar power (CSP) technology. In 1993, a
small-scale, off-grid solar (PV) power plant was inaugurated in the
village of Doorbid, Yazd province, marking it as the inaugural PV
installation in the nation.
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