TEHRAN Dec 14 (Shana)--Plans are under way in Irans power sector to increase electricity generation by building new power plants, deputy Minister of Energy Sattar Mahmoudi said.
Mahmoudi said in addition to boosting electricity generation through building new power plants, Energy Ministry will change 16 thousand megawatts of gas-burning power plants to combined-cycle power plants.
He noted that boosting electricity generation by producing renewable energies, improving efficiency and management of consumption have created a large market for oil industry, mainly the private sector. Power industry is pivotal for development of the country and could play a crucial role in finding a way out of recession, Mahmoudi told Shana.
According to the official, oil industry has reached self-sufficiency in power distribution, and generation and transfer sectors have respectively achieved 80 and 90 percent self-sufficiency. He expressed dissatisfaction with the process of building new power plants due to lack of funds noting oil industry should accelerate building and completion of power plants if it wants to achieve its planned targets.
Private sector should take part more actively in developing power industry and the government should support capable private sector companies, Energy Ministry official concluded.